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Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem defended parliament's recent two-week hiatus during today's sitting, arguing that daily sittings are unnecessary as the Maldives has over 100 years of lawmaking history and most essential legal frameworks are already in place.
News Desk
Deputy Speaker Saleem in parliament sitting - Photo: People's Majlis
The Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Ahmed Saleem, has defended recent parliamentary breaks and irregular scheduling, stating that the Maldives no longer requires daily legislative sittings because the nation’s core legal framework is already well established.
Speaking during today’s parliamentary sitting—the first session convened after nearly two weeks of total inactivity—the Eydhafushi MP highlighted that lawmaking in the Maldives spans over a century. Consequently, the parliament’s current focus is primarily limited to amending existing legislation and passing a select few new statutes to strengthen current frameworks.
"There is no requirement to pass new laws every single day by holding daily sittings," Deputy Speaker Saleem stated, explaining the reasoning behind the reduced frequency of parliamentary meetings.
The Deputy Speaker's remarks come directly on the heels of intense public criticism directed at lawmakers. Prior to today's sitting, the 20th People’s Majlis had not conducted a single floor session or standing committee meeting since July
15, leaving the legislature idle for nearly two weeks without any official explanation for the delay.
Public frustration has mounted over what citizens perceive as a lack of output relative to the high remuneration and generous benefit packages provided to MPs from the state budget. Critical complaints frequently center on brief committee meetings—some lasting a mere five to ten minutes—alongside meetings cancelled due to lack of quorum and irregular sitting schedules throughout the ongoing second session.
