Rasheed: Muizzu abolished Malé parking zones he established as mayor

Former Member of Parliament for Central Maafannu, Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonda), has stated that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has abolished the on-street car parking zones in Malé that were established during his tenure as Mayor.

In an interview with RaajjeTV, Rasheed stated that during President Muizzu's tenure as Mayor, numerous street parking spaces in Malé were leased for 50,000 MVR each.

Highlighting the rising cost of living, Rasheed noted that many citizens have turned to providing taxi services as a means of livelihood. He further stated that, in anticipation of securing these parking spaces, numerous individuals have taken out loans to purchase cars, leading to the registration of multiple vehicles under a single garage.

However, Rasheed stated that no parking spaces were provided to the public from these funds, alleging instead that President Muizzu diverted the money for his personal use.

During his tenure as the Mayor of Male' City, he began issuing garage permits directly from the streets. These were being sold for 50,000 Rufiyaa, effectively exhausting all available space in Male'. Driven by the hope of earning extra income through taxi services, people registered as many as 50 to 200 cars under a single garage. Banks issued loans based on these permits, and numerous cars were imported from abroad. Those very vehicles are now rotting away on the streets. What Muizzu did was simply take that money.

Former Member of Parliament Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonda)

Rasheed stated that individuals who purchased parking slots are now facing financial ruin, with their families left destitute and vulnerable due to the burden of bank loans. He further noted that the public is subjected to such hardships because the government is engaging in commercial business activities.

Rasheed stated that if the President of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) fails to investigate these matters, he will face criminal prosecution under a future administration.

Numerous allegations of corruption within the current administration have come to light. On Sunday, Ahmed Saleem (Maaz Saleem), a member of the MDP National Congress, submitted a formal letter to the President of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Adam Shamil, alleging corrupt practices in the procurement of vehicles imported under the "Male' City Taxi Line" initiative.