Claiming that building ownership in Ras Male' can be granted without control over the land is an attempt to treat the public as fools: Abbas

Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abbas has strongly criticized the government over the Ras Male' project, stating that claiming the state will not exercise authority over land after granting building ownership without land rights is an insult to the intelligence of the Maldivian people. He suggested that such rhetoric implies the government views the public as ignorant and incapable of understanding the implications of such arrangements.

In a post shared on X, MP Abbas stated that after three years of neglecting the public and dismantling the nation's businesses, the government utilized all available foreign currency reserves to reclaim Ras Male' under the guise of providing a permanent solution to the housing crisis. He further noted that the government had pledged not to lease even a grain of sand from the area to any party, whether on a short-term or long-term basis.

Furthermore, Abbas stated that the vision to transform the Maldives into a second Dubai or Singapore should not be achieved by selling the nation's land on long-term leases to those who subscribe to Zionist ideologies or provide financial support to them. He further emphasized that the Maldivian people have absolutely no desire to see the establishment of a Zionist settlement within the country.

Referring to these issues, MP Abbas called on the government to immediately halt those activities.

Responding to a social media post, Minister Muththalib clarified that individuals purchasing property in Ras Male' will only own the specific unit or structure, while the land on which it is built will remain the property of the Maldivian state. Muththalib's remarks have drawn widespread criticism from the public.