Former President Abdulla Yameen has said he has never seen a time when Members of the People’s Majlis have been as subservient to a government as they are now.

Speaking at a rally held by the PNF in Thinadhoo City, Yameen said that candidates who contest for the Majlis pledge to defend the rights of the people, but once elected, they become servants of the ruling party. He noted that this contradicts the Constitution, and that the foremost responsibility of the Majlis is to hold the government accountable.

“We have never seen an era in which Members of the Majlis have been more subservient to a government than this. That is a grave mistake,” Yameen said.

He also stated that whenever the interests of the people are compromised by a state institution or by the President, it is the duty of the Majlis to set things right. In the current 87-member Majlis, the ruling PNC holds 74 seats, while the opposition MDP holds just 12 members.