Hamza Latheef (Media Office)
MALE, Maldives — Official Spokesperson of the Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP) Mohamed Hussein Shareef spoke to the media on the serial Maumoon 2008 press conference televised live on DhiTV at 2300hrs.
He revealed that his cell phone number had been used by inexplicable means to vote for tonight’s DhiFM opinion poll without his consent.
He thanked Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) acting President Ibrahim Hussein Zaki for confirming the DRP’s allegations against James McGrath and warned the public of the ramifications of foreign intervention in the internal political affairs of the Maldives.
SMS
Hussein Shareef read out a text message that he said he received at 2257hrs tonight from +600 to the media tonight. According to him, the text message read “thank you for your vote”. He said that he is aware of an opinion poll being conducted in connection with the upcoming elections on private radio broadcaster 95.2 DhiFM from 2300-0000hrs tonight.
Hussein Shareef said that he had last texted from his number at 2248hrs tonight and that he was surprised to receive an SMS in what he believes is connection with tonight’s DhiFM poll before the appointed time for SMS voting.
He expressed concern on his and DRP members’ behalf about the validity of polls when suspicious activities are carried out in connection with them. He also expressed his disappointment in not being able to cast his vote in tonight’s poll.
Regulations
Hussein Shareef thanked MDP acting President Zaki for confirming all of the allegations he had made against the MDP in connection with James McGrath in an MDP press conference tonight.
He said that Zaki had agreed that McGrath has been aiding the MDP and that the Australian had done so on a voluntary basis. Hussein Shareef countered that whether McGrath is paid or not is not the issue. He said that a tourist visa does not allow for foreign nationals to work in the Maldives either voluntarily or on a wage basis.
He said that the DRP has alerted concerned officials of McGrath’s violation and that it is his wish that the former British Conservative Party campaign aide be deported as soon as possible.
He responded to Zaki’s allegations that the DRP directly controls a local print daily by the name of Hamaroalhi which employs a foreign national. He said that the foreign national in question has a Maldivian work visa in her possession and that she is employed on a professional basis.
Poorna Rodrigo, the aforementioned foreigner, is a Sri Lankan national who writes for the English section of Hamaroalhi daily.
Make-over
Hussein Shareef said that McGrath is not only working for the MDP but that he also controls the MDP’s “Other Maldives” Campaign. He said that email correspondence which the DRP had made public in an earlier press conference indicates that McGrath dictates what the MDP Presidential candidate wears and does. He also said that McGrath has expressed dissatisfaction with MDP officials for taking rest during the morning hours of Ramadan.
He warned the people that the MDP Presidential candidate Mohamed “Anni” Nasheed’s public image was created by McGrath and that it does not reflect Nasheed’s true character. He called this change a “face-lift” that Nasheed had required in order to garner votes in a public referendum.
He said that an unnamed MDP official had personally commented to him in the past that the MDP has never tried to become a political party and that the party’s status as a populist revolutionary movement appeals and adds to its core membership.
Hussein Shareef said that images such as the temple flower (common name for Plumiera Rubra aka Frangipani) and ideals such as “other Maldives” has served to transform the MDP leadership from what he said were dubious individuals who possessed “eyes that burned like coals” into publicly appealing statespersons.
He said that the point he is trying to make is that the change that the MDP has experienced has come about due to outside intervention and that he is concerned on one hand about continued foreign influence if the MDP is elected and the MDP reverting to its original militancy on the other.
He said that the basic principle behind the DRP’s cause is to uphold Maldivian independence with regards to the country’s sovereignty, religion and nationality.
Links
In response to a question from the media, Hussein Shareef confirmed that the DRP has links to the Chinese Communist Party and the Indian National Congress (INC).
He said that the DRP has never sought or received technical aid from either of the parties.
He said that a DRP contingent met with representatives from the INC to obtain their counsel on the creation of party branches and executive posts.
Maumoon 2008 Campaign
He said isaid that they were employees of an Indian company which the DRP had hired on a contractual basis to do stage work and lighting for the campaign launch event.
He said the DRP does not condemn hiring overseas professionals in general making the comment that the Jumhooree Party (JP) has also employed an unnamed Germany company for similar purposes.
He made the statement that involving foreign interests in Maldivian politics is what the DRP cannot condone in the interests of the state and the people.
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