ACC Receives Corruption Allegations Over Muizzu Administration’s Eagle Hills Project

A formal complaint has been lodged with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) by a private citizen, Ahmed Saleem (Maaz Saleem), alleging significant embezzlement and corruption regarding the Ras Male' project. The complaint concerns the allocation of 500 hectares of reclaimed land to Abu Dhabi’s Eagle Hills company for a 99-year period, free of charge.

The petition asserts that allocating a significant portion of land reclaimed through substantial public tax expenditure to a foreign company poses a threat to the independence and sovereignty of the Maldives.

The complaint filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) alleges a significant lack of transparency in the execution of the Ras Male' project. It highlights that the government has failed to disclose the process by which the project was awarded to Eagle Hills, or whether a competitive bidding opportunity was ever opened to the public. Furthermore, the complaint points to major discrepancies between the information provided by the Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development, Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed, and the official statement released by Eagle Hills. While the Minister stated that the project is valued at $20 billion, the statement from Eagle Hills values the venture at $12 billion.

Furthermore, significant concerns have been raised regarding land ownership rights. While the government maintains that the state will retain ultimate ownership of the land, Eagle Hills stated in its announcement that the 99-year lease period would reset each time a property is sold or transferred to heirs.

The complaint filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) asserts that this arrangement effectively grants permanent land ownership to foreign entities. It further contends that such a move violates Articles 250 and 251 of the Constitution.

As citizens express their growing concerns regarding this project, the case highlights that the agreement has been kept hidden from the Maldivian public.

The government remains unwilling to provide a clear explanation to the public regarding this matter. Instead, officials continue to highlight the substantial revenue they anticipate receiving. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that the police are maintaining a 24-hour guard at the Ministry of Housing, after it was reported that several lockers were found open outside of official working hours. These developments are causing a significant rise in public concern.

Case submitted to the ACC

The case highlights that the yacht marina included in the Ras Male' project poses a significant threat to the nation's borders. It asserts that the state's security forces would lose control over maritime vessels entering and departing the country under the guise of Ras Male'. Furthermore, it states there is no doubt that having a marina under the permanent control of a foreign entity in such a strategic location adjacent to the capital, Malé, would open the door for the deployment of surveillance technology and other materials that could jeopardize national security, all without the authorization of Maldivian security forces.

Furthermore, the case highlights the undeniable reality that these investments could be leveraged to exert economic pressure on the state. This could inevitably lead to international courts mandating compensation of such magnitude that it would result in national bankruptcy.

Furthermore, the "Maldives Pearl Residency" program, which is designed to grant resident visas to foreign nationals under this project, has been characterized as an initiative tailored to benefit specific parties and facilitate corruption.

Allegations have been raised that the awarding of this program to "Henley & Partners" was kept confidential. Furthermore, it is claimed that recent amendments to the SEZ Act were specifically designed to facilitate foreign ownership of land in Ras Male'.

Any person of sound mind would recognize that by granting 500 hectares of land to Abu Dhabi’s Eagle Hills for a 99-year lease, the Maldivian government has effectively handed over total control of the venture to the company. Furthermore, if an agreement has been reached for Eagle Hills to invest $20 billion as the government claims, the reality remains that Eagle Hills will be the sole authority determining the projects to be executed, the pricing of developed assets, and the parties to whom those assets are sold. Consequently, the Maldivian government and its citizens will lose all sovereignty over this land. To deceive the public, a document may be drafted and filed in an office claiming the land remains state property. However, the actual legal authority and control over the land and its assets will rest entirely in the hands of foreign interests.

Case submitted to the ACC

The statement further highlighted that the substantial expenditure on the Ras Male' project has deteriorated the state's financial position and led to an acute shortage of US dollars. It further asserted that reducing spending on essential public services to fund such questionable projects constitutes a significant act of corruption.

Even though the Maldivian public remains in the dark regarding the details of the 99-year lease agreement for Ras Male' between this administration and Abu Dhabi’s Eagle Hills, the official statements from the company and Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muththalib point toward hidden betrayal, deception, and corruption behind the project. In an attempt to mislead the public, Minister Muththalib claims that the Ras Male' project will generate $3 billion for the state over a 10-year period. When broken down, this amounts to $25 million per month—a figure comparable to the annual revenue generated by guesthouse islands near Malé.

Case submitted to the ACC

Therefore, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been urged to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter and to take action to halt these activities, which are causing significant damage to state property and land.

Furthermore, the motion noted public sentiment that various government institutions are embezzling state assets and funds with such blatant impunity. It highlighted that these acts of corruption are escalating daily because oversight bodies, such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), are failing to fulfill the legal mandates and responsibilities entrusted to them.