Incumbent President Abdulla Yameen’s faction of the ruling party have again been accused of coercing state employees into supporting their political activity.
Two employees at the state utilities company FENAKA, claim that management has attempted to ‘bully’ them into guaranteeing their support for President Yameen in the upcoming elections.
Adam Naseer and Hussain Fazeel, both residents of Foakaidhoo island in Shaviyani atoll employed at the FENAKA’s office there, were both transferred to outlets in another atoll. Speaking to RaajjeMV, they expressed this transfer to be immensely inconvenient, and an attempt to secure support in numbers for the government’s bid for reelection.
Adam, who works as an administrative officer, said he was notified of his transfer from his native island in Maldives’ northern administrative divide, to the southern Gaafu Dhaalu atoll on July 9th. He says he has not been given a reason for the transfer except for that it was a decision made by FENAKA’s head office.
Adam said his contract is for a monthly compensation of MVR 6,000 (about USD 453), which he says is adequate living at home, but is insufficient to pay for rent in another island. Adam says he cannot afford to move his family with him and given living expenses in Gaafu Dhaalu’s industrial island of Kondey, he will likely not have enough to provide for them.
While Adam says the decision to transfer him is because he has previously refused to concede his ideologies in exchange for employment security, he accused FENAKA’s management of coercing their staff into voting for President Yameen in September's elections. Both Adam and Fazeel, who was transferred to Madaveli island in the same atoll, have decided to leave their jobs at the company.
"I will not vote for President Yameen, not under any circumstances. Acts like this, tolerance for this sort of action only diminishes any support for him" Adam said.
President Yameen’s opponents have long accused him of abusing state resources, assets, and employees of the civil service for political gain. The FENAKA Corporation’s acting managing director, Mohamed Lam’aan, also recently called on the Maldivian public and ‘the Muslim population’ to have former president and opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed executed for a tweet he sent out criticizing the ruling party’s current running-mate.
State employees, even members of their management, are routinely seen organizing and participating in campaign and support events held by the ruling party. Employees of the civil service have previously reported being coerced and even bribed into attending and supporting such events, who claim they are threatened with dismissal and salary reductions if they fail to comply.
