MPs representing the majority leading party MDP have exchanged heated words during the debate of the Bill on Amendment to the Goods and Services Tax Act.
Today's parliamentary session saw a sitting of the Committee of the Whole House in which MPs debated on the Amendment bill submitted by the Government.
During the debate, several MPs from MPD said that they did not support the bill and don't want a hike in taxes in the country.
The MPs said that before increasing the taxes, a thorough study should be done of how the change would affect individual citizens and businesses. Most of these MPs belonged to the MDP faction supporting Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed.
This led MDP MPs supporting President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to voice their anger during the debate.
The situation tensed after the MP for Medhu Henveiru Constituency Ali Azim said that MDP had issued a 3-line whip to pass the bill as it is and that this stopped any discussions on the matter.
MP Azim said that while the bill was still at the Committee stage, MDP Parliamentary group suddenly gathered and issued a 3-line whip on the bill.
During the debate, the Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed said that the Parliament has now invited relevant government agencies to the bill research committee to discuss the bill.
The Bill was submitted to the Parliament by the MP for Ihavandhoo Constituency Mohamed Shifau. It proposes increasing the Goods and Services Tax GST from 6 percent to 8 percent and hiking the Tourism Tax from 12 percent to 16 percent.
