Coercing employees to join PNC: STELCO MD refuses to comment and hangs up when questioned!
9 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރު 2026 | ބުދަ 07:58Following the suspension of a STELCO employee accused of pressuring staff to join the ruling PNC, the company's Managing Director, Dr. Azwar, has refused to provide details regarding the investigation. This incident comes amid a significant surge in allegations involving political influence and the systematic coercion of state-owned enterprise employees to join the government party.
Dr. Ali Azwar, the Managing Director of STELCO. | stelco
The Managing Director of State Electric Company (STELCO), Dr. Ali Azwar, refused to comment and abruptly ended a phone call when questioned regarding the suspension of an employee following a RaajjeTV exposé. The report revealed that STELCO’s Human Resources Department has been pressuring staff to join the main ruling party, the People’s National Congress (PNC).
The issue came to light during RaajjeTV's "Fashaairu" program on Thursday morning. During the broadcast, the RaajjeTV team posed as an ordinary employee of STELCO and contacted the company's Human Resources department. When the undercover team inquired which number they should send a screenshot to as proof of joining the People's National Congress (PNC), the HR department instructed them to upload the screenshot via the link previously sent to employees.
STELCO’S Human Resources Department further stated that after joining the party, employees must take a screenshot of the confirmation from the Elections Commission’s website and upload it to a link provided by the company.
In a statement released regarding the matter, STELCO announced that the employee accused in the allegations aired on RaajjeTV has been suspended from their duties pending an investigation into the incident. The company further stated that it will not hesitate to take all necessary disciplinary and administrative actions in accordance with corporate regulations upon the conclusion of the inquiry, effectively placing the full responsibility for the matter on the Human Resources department.
When RaajjeTV contacted the company’s Managing Director, Dr. Azwar, on Tuesday to seek further details and a formal statement regarding the matter, he declined to comment. He directed the inquiry to the media team before hanging up the phone without allowing further questions.
This issue has come to light amid growing public outcry over allegations that government-owned companies are using intimidation and professional influence to force employees into joining the People's National Congress (PNC). The actions taken by STELCO further substantiate these allegations, suggesting a systemic effort to exert political influence over employees within state-owned enterprises to bolster party membership.
