Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has expressed concern over the opposition calling President Abdulla Yameen a thief.

At a press conference on Wednesday, the ruling party’s parliamentary group leader Ahmed Nihan accused the opposition coalition parties of conducting an ‘anti-campaign’ by calling PPM’s candidate President Yameen a thief.

Nihan said the party is compiling information of such instances since such ‘baseless’ allegations against President Yameen and cabinet members violate anti-defamation laws.

He severely criticized Joint Opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his spokesperson MP Mariya Ahmed Didi by accusing them of only defaming people during their campaign.

In a recent speech in R. Dhuvaafaru, President Yameen said that his administration was establishing waste management systems in the atolls with the same quality as in the capital city and so ‘it’s okay to steal in advance.’

President Yameen has earlier made statements that encouraged such behavior by saying that he would ratify any bill that legalizes stealing and that corruption was inherent in humanity.