Maldives president's ex-minister accuses him of working to sell state property
The former minister made the accusations against the incumbent president at a gathering held by the opposition in capital Malé City on Wednesday night
Former youth minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal
New allegations have been made against President Abdulla Yameen, by his administration's former youth minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal.
The former minister made the accusations against the incumbent president at a gathering held by the opposition in capital Malé City on Wednesday night, where he claimed that Yameen had attempted 'to sell state property right after assuming office'.
He said that includes the country's main commercial harbour and the entirety of an atoll; Faafu atoll.
However, Maleeh said that the president failed to execute these plans 'because of the hard work of the Maldivian people'.
Further noting that the country's richest reefs are near the capital, Maleeh said all these have been sold off by the incumbent president.
He further revealed that while the Velana International Airport development costs USD 650 million, that Yameen's administration is conducting the project for USD 1.2 billion. President Yameen had responded to such allegations earlier, saying that these projects cost more 'so as to completed in shorter span of time'.
President Yameen dismissed Maleeh during a cabinet shuffle in 2015. The dismissal came amid reports of weakening ties between the president and his then Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, a relative of Maleeh.
The former youth minister is also reported to have close links with former defence minister Mohamed Nazim, who in 2015 was sentenced to 11 years in prison for weapon smuggling.
