The country is being snatched from Maldivians under the guise of "Dhiveheenge Raajje": MP Ziyad

Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad has stated that while President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration assumed office under the slogan "Dhiveheenge Raajje", what is being witnessed today is the country being snatched away from its citizens.

Speaking at Monday's parliamentary sitting, MP Ziyad stated that the 20th People's Majlis is facilitating the opportunity for foreign nationals to establish residency in the Maldives.

However, MP Ziyad noted that while President Muizzu assumed office with a pledge not to cede even a single inch of Maldivian territory, the current administration, alongside PNC parliamentary members, is now moving to relinquish 500 hectares of land.

Highlighting that this is entirely different from leasing resorts, MP Ziyad stated that leasing land for 99 years is no different from granting outright ownership. He further noted that despite opposition within the Parliament, the measure is expected to pass because the legislature remains under the government's control.

The President repeatedly asserted that Maldivians come first, that priority would be given to the people, and that this is a "Maldivians' Maldives." However, in the end, the Maldivian people have been reduced to dust.

Hussain Ziyad

Furthermore, MP Ziyad stated that it is deeply concerning that Maldivians seeking land in Ras Male' are required to renounce their spouses' and children's inheritance rights. He characterized this as a tragic and dangerous precedent in the history of the Maldives.

MP Ziyad stated that in the near future, one side of Ras Male' would be inhabited by "donkeys" while the other side would be home to "asses." However, he also noted that this remains the largest land reclamation project ever funded by the Maldivian people.