Parliament has voted to dismiss the Minister of Communications, Science and, Technology Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal today after a fiery debate over the motion of no-confidence against the Minister.
This is the first time a minister from the Administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had been dismissed by the parliament upon losing a vote of no-confidence.
Out of the 70 MPs who took part in the parliament sitting today, 59 voted for the dismissal of the Minister, who the majority party of the ruling coalition MPD say have failed in performing the duties as the Minister of Communications.
One MP had voted against his dismissal while four others refrained from voting in the no-confidence vote.
Earlier today, Minister Maleeh had struck a defiant tone after he was summoned to the floor of the parliament during the debate of the motion on his dismissal.
Maleeh had said that said all the procedures related to his possible dismissal through a vote of no-confidence from the parliament have been full of deception and lies.
Minister Maleeh also said that he did not answer the summon by the parliament today to defend his job and accused that the motion of no-confidence against him was purely submitted to tarnish his good name. He accused some members of the parliament of orchestrating such an action against him.
Maleeh said that although 14 MPs have signed the motion against him, the attached documents regarding the Ministry make one ponder whether the motion was against him or not.
He added that he would not step back from making use of the right to expression as mandated by the constitution of the Maldives.
Maleeh, who had served as the Minister of Youth and Sports on the cabinet of former President Abdullah Yaamin, is not the first Minister to be dismissed from his post on the cabinet of President Solih but is the first Minister from the current government to lose a vote of no-confidence.
Former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed was dismissed from his post after he was accused of sexually assaulting several female staff at the ministry.
Three Ministers on the initial cabinet of President Solih had previously resigned from their posts. This includes former Gender Minister Shidhathaa Shareef and former Health Minister Abdullah Ameen who both resigned while the parliament was on the cusp of taking a vote of no-confidence against them.
Former Housing Minister Athifa Shakoor resigned from her post citing health issues.
