In Search Of A Life Jacket

Once every five years, MPs remember their fellow citizens. They make (unfulfilled) promises, spend (borrowed) money and listen to the public’s concerns (with deaf ears).

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet a candidate contesting for one of the northern atolls along with his campaign manager.

“Let me tell you of a clever strategy to use during the campaign,” said the manager. “Wearing a smile, go and shake hands with anyone you meet.

“No matter who the person is, even if they are from a different constituency. Just use this tactic and you’ll see how delighted the islanders will be.”

No surprises here. He is after all a campaign manager and there is no doubt a thousand tricks up his sleeve. But what amazed me was the candidate’s response.

“I recently registered with MDP to win a party ticket,” he said. “As the party has the highest number of supporters, I decided this would be the best choice. But I’m not sure if MDP will endorse me, as another activist is also contesting.”

Several weeks later, I chuckled to myself as I read in the news that he had been selected as the MDP candidate for that very constituency.

Every candidate, it seems, whether from MDP or DRP, is looking for a life jacket.

Over the past few months, we have seen a number of MPs jumping from sinking ships in search of a lifeline; changing from failed parties to those that are well-established.

Let’s have a look at some of them.

Before the October 2008 presidential elections, we saw Thaa atoll MP Mohamed “Sanco” Shareef, Seenu atoll MP Mohamed Aslam and former constitutional assembly Gaafu Dhaalu atoll MP Adnaan Haleem resign from the MDP on the grounds that it had failed.

Instead, they turned to the Republican candidate Gasim Ibrahim with open arms.

But then a funny thing happened: the MDP won the elections and guess who went crawling back?

A similar pattern of behaviour can be observed in Mohamed “Colonel” Nasheed, the former constitutional assembly Male’ MP.

He won the seat for the constitutional assembly on an MDP ticket but then defected to the Social Liberal Party.

After the first round of the elections, we were both at Male’ International Airport and he told me, “I will register with the MDP if they lose the elections. If I sign up with the MDP when they win, activists would think badly about me.”

But in true parliamentarian style, it did not take him long to join the MDP after they had won the elections. And now he is contesting once more for a parliamentary seat on an MDP ticket.

Seenu atoll MP Ibrahim “Mavota” Shareef’s case is interesting too and is not dissimilar to a game of tennis.

Once upon a time he was an MDP member but then he defected to the DRP.

When former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom lost the elections, he signed up with the Republican Party.

But within a month he returned to the DRP. The end? Probably not.

Over the past years, we have borne witness to the highs and lows of MPs. Every banana in Majlis has been peeled and I think the public now knows which is sweet and which is not.

Now the time has come to discard those that leave a bitter taste in our mouths.

Personally, I will be voting for candidates who show they are the most stable. I will vote for their character, performance and work.

I will not be voting on party lines.

After all, how confident can we be they will not jump ship when the going gets tough?