PNC claims credit for private solar project at Kurinbi mosque, council confirms
The President of the HDh. Kurinbi Island Council, Abdulla Aslam, is facing public backlash for claiming that the council was responsible for solarizing the local mosque. Representatives from the 'Kurinbi Youth Movement' and the 'Hidhumaiy' NGO clarified that the project was a private initiative funded with over MVR 200,000 raised through their organizations and public donations. Critics have condemned the council's attempt to take credit for community-led work for political gain, calling the move unacceptable.
Kurinbi Youth Movement unloads solar panels from a vessel to be installed at the local mosque in Kurinbi. | RaajjeMV | Raajje MV
Abdulla Aslam, the current President of the HDh. Kurinbi Council who is seeking re-election, has been accused of taking credit for a private individual's work by claiming the council was responsible for installing solar panels at Masjidul Eesa.
The solar power system at the Kurinbi mosque was installed by a private donor. However, during a PNC rally held in the island, the current President of the Kurinbi Council, Abdulla Aslam—who is seeking re-election on a PNC ticket—claimed the project as a council achievement. Highlighting a list of accomplishments, Aslam stated he had memorized 75 items that he personally oversaw and calculated. Among these, he asserted that "we" installed the solar panels at the mosque. He noted that the mosque previously incurred substantial electricity bills, which the council struggled to manage with its limited budget after air conditioning was installed. He claimed the council transitioned the facility to renewable energy to bring the electricity bill down to "zero," explicitly attributing the work to the council.
However, this initiative was spearheaded by the Kurinbi Youth Movement and the Hidhumaiy Association. Speaking on the matter, Adam Shazeem, the former president of the Kurinbi Youth Movement, stated that the project to power the Kurinbi mosque with solar energy was made possible through the generous contributions of many people across the Maldives. He noted that the association successfully raised over 130,000 Rufiyaa through crowdfunding efforts.
Subsequently, when representatives from the Hidhumath NGO visited the island to work on the Bina Project, the local association requested assistance for a solar project. The NGO agreed to provide the necessary support, and the association has since transferred the entirety of the funds received to them.
However, Shazeem stated that during a PNC political event held on the night of the 18th of this month, the Council President claimed the project belonged to the Council. Shazeem added that he condemns these remarks in the strongest possible terms.
He described the situation as deeply regrettable, noting that the organization had invested over 200,000 Rufiyaa into the project. He further stated that taking credit in such a manner is an injustice to the organization's members.
