The member of parliament (MP) for North Galolhu, Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu), criticised the administration and its aligned MPs on Thursday, saying that the Parliament has now been replaced by a rubber-stamped presidential assembly.

The responsibility of the Parliament is to make laws and hold the government accountable, but the current Parliament can do neither, the MP said.

“The agenda of the session is received the night before the session. There is plenty of harassment during the debate. It prevents us from fulfilling our legal responsibility. Now this is not a parliament. Now this is a presidential parliament,” Ibrahim said.

The most basic characteristic of the state is that there is a separation of three powers, he said, adding that the purpose of holding each power accountable is to prevent losing sight of the people.

If the administration-aligned MPs do not do anything for their constituencies and only obstruct the work of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the people are the ones who suffer, Ibrahim said.

MDP will continue to work for the people and will not waver in its commitment, the MP said.