President Abdulla Yameen has expressed support of the Joint Opposition’s income tax policy.

Speaking in Th. Guraidhoo on Sunday, President Yameen said that the Joint Opposition’s proposed impose taxes on the rich should be done now and in the future.

However, the President also said that the opposition has only proposed to shrink companies, reduce businesses, and employment opportunities instead of proposing to increase income.

The Joint Opposition has pledged to impose an income tax during their administration in order to narrow the gap between rich and poor and reveal illegal income.

In 2011, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s government formulated such a system and had proposed to take 3 to 15% as tax from parties that receive more than MVR 30,000. However, it was not implemented.

The current administration has stated that it would rather further develop the current tax system rather than impose an income tax.