People support President Waheed not because they are asked to do so by a party: Thaufeeg

Political Affairs Advisor at the President’s Office Ahmed Thaufeeg has said that people support President Dr Mohamed Waheed during his visits to the islands not because they are asked to do so by a political party.

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) decided yesterday not to cooperate with the president’s visits to the islands, following the dismissal of Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed from the post of Minister of Home Affairs.

In an interview, Thaufeeg told Sun Online that people are not ‘puppets’ of political parties. He said that Maldivians have always gone out to welcome presidents, provided that they accept the person as their president.

“President Waheed is accepted by the people as their president. He has gained the people’s support. People went out to welcome and support former President Maumoon, also because he was a good person. Similarly, President Waheed receives support because he is accepted by the people and because he is a good person. The people are not asked to do this by parties. This is sincere support by the Maldivian people,” he said.

He said that Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) also tried to obstruct President Waheed’s visits to the islands, but they did not succeed in their efforts; and that PPM is ‘copying MDP’s style’ by deciding not to cooperate with the president’s visits to the islands.

Referring to allegations by PPM and MDP that President Waheed’s visits to the islands are part of his presidential election campaign, Thaufeeg said that he did not think that the visits are part of his campaign, and added that the Elections Commission had not yet announced the names of the presidential election candidates, and the president will meanwhile continue with his duties as a president.

“The president has to visit the islands as part of his duties as a president. Maumoon, who was the president of Maldives for many years, said that it’s impossible to know the people’s condition by sitting in an air-conditioned room. That’s the reality; the president can only know the concerns of the people of the islands by visiting the islands. Campaigns for the presidential election will begin when the Elections Commission announces the presidential candidates. If the visits are part of his campaign, he would be traveling with officials of Gaumee Itthihad and using the party’s flags. But he is using the colours of the Maldivian flag. So he is carrying out his presidential duties,” he said.