It is important to assure the public that their representatives in parliament are not “imbeciles”, says MP for Thimarafushi constituency, Mohamed Musthafa.

In a series of tweets sent out on Saturday, the MP said that it is important to assure the public that the 85 parliamentarians “are not imbeciles, who have been bought for a little cash.”

Musthafa, who represents the divided ruling party, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) emphasized that “being responsible does not mean standing against” President Abdulla Yameen, adding that the MPs have to show that they will not allow the President “to do whatever he wants.”

He further noted that if a parliamentarian seen to be "handling something wrong, they are put in jail,” and that “even if a judge is caught committing a crime, the matter is let go for the dignity of the judiciary.”

MP Musthafa has been a strong critic against President Yameen and his regime, and his criticism towards the government increased after the fall-out between the President and party leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, in June 2016.

The half-brothers have been involved in a public battle since June 2016, over party leadership, and the party has been divided into two factions, Maumoon faction and Yameen faction.

In October 2016, Civil Court issued a ruling, ordering that the reins of the party be handed over to President Yameen, despite PPM laws prohibiting an incumbent President from holding the leadership position but can serve in an advisory capacity. President Yameen is the party's chief advisor.

Former President Maumoon has expressed disappointment in the court ruling, and the ruling has been appealed at the High Court.