K. Male'
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17 Oct 2018 | Wed 22:43
President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom giving his speech
President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom giving his speech
Maldives Independent
President Yameen Abdul Gayoom
President Yameen gives farewell speech
'We are a state that maintains close bonds of friendship with all other states'
'We do not tolerate foreigners interfering with our foreign policy and internal affairs'
'These past five-years of my Presidential term have not been easy'

While my official duties are coming to an end, I am meeting with the citizens with a humble heart. As I leave my official duties, I want to explain to the citizens my government policies and why I governed the way I did.

I drafted the government policies to benefit the citizens. I promised to solve the many problems faced by the citizens. Even now, I have gained satisfaction in seeing that solutions to many issues have been found and seeing citizens benefiting from the many improvements in various sectors.

I am most pleased with the development of the health sector and our once fragile economy. This is no doubt something that neighboring and far away nations will take note of. The fact that this progress was made by a small country in a short period of time is hard to believe for some people.

I have always worked for the security of the nation. For such a small state to attempt to retain its independence is no doubt the most important work it can do for national security. As part of this work, I have never allowed foreigners to have a say in the state of the country, whether our foreign policy or internal affairs.

Where ever we look we find the extent of foreign interference in the Maldives. Hence, I have worked to prioritize national security and have always put the nation’s independence first as part of my responsibilities to bring progress to the people. There is no doubt that self-dependence is the most important step to maintaining national security, else, we will be needing help from outside for anything and everything we do. Just imagine, we have faced similar situations, such as the foreign policy, business policy being included in these things. However, there has been something we did to stand up for ourselves, which is, taking back our international airport after being given to a foreign party. It is now the property of Maldivians. This, in my opinion is something we need to think about in the future. We need to think about the extent of hardships the citizens have to face regarding these things, again.

This has not been easy for me to do, however, I did this for the rights of my citizens, as I saw it fit in my efforts to stand upright on my own two feet, it was something I had to do for the sovereignty of the nation.

I would like to add that our nation is one that maintains close bonds with all foreign countries throughout everything we do within the foreign policy. We are a state that maintains close bonds of friendship with all other states. Specially with all the countries that praise and pave way for our sovereignty and our leadership.

Our foreign policy paves way for us to maintain the closest ties with Islamic and Arab nations in particular. All of the nations have close bonds with us. Our neighbors, in particular. We give special attention to strengthen close bonds with our neighbors. Moreover, one more thing that our foreign policy paves way for, is to stand up against terrorism and work alongside nations that work to end terrorism world-wide. We also oppose the actions of the states that conduct inhumane acts, and our foreign policy has paved way for us to take a join the world-wide war to end terrorism.

The state however, does not tolerate foreigners interfering with our foreign policy and internal affairs and citizens will need to be ceaselessly cautious of this. The most difficult decision I’ve had to take so far in our work to shape our foreign policy, is the decision to leave the commonwealth. This decision was taken with the opinions of the cabinet ministers, and was taken as the state found the extent of the commonwealth’s interference with our internal affairs intolerable. I inform all citizens with grief, that the next government’s internal affairs and policies will welcome these things.

All of our administration’s efforts and policies revolved around ensuring national security. During this, I may have done certain things that may have bothered politicians. These past five years of my Presidential term have not been easy. However, I have nothing to say regarding things done by some private parties or some politicians.

However, even today I would like to assure that all of the state’s measures that were taken, were taken for the sake of the state, for the rights of thousands of citizens. If we had let these things slide without taking appropriate measures, the governance of the country as well as the peace and sovereignty of citizens will be out of reach.

While all of this is happening, the one thing I find it the hardest to comprehend by the end of my term, is how people’s thinking becomes influenced. I find it hard to understand how quickly political leaders, as well as citizens change their thinking, and what influences them to change their beliefs. I am powerless to take the appropriate measures in these things, as I do not understand them.  

The results of these things in my observation, there is nothing that has held higher priority than national peace during these past five years, I have never put my own peace before the country’s or that of the peoples.

We are all working for the sake of the country, for the rights of the citizens, all political leaders need to pave way for this. However, it is unfortunate that we have to question ourselves if we have put national peace before our own, with a Presidential election having recently concluded and during the last few days of tenure.

I’d like to tell citizens, you are all innocent people, however, it is undeniable that some of our leaders leave national peace on the margin and raise their own peace above it, which will never allow citizens to live in peace. Due to these matters, the hardships and sanctions Maldivians face from foreigners, will never come to an end.

However, I believe that things will steer a different path when situations change.

We need to ask ourselves how many families have educated their children and introduced them to our society to provide for the nation. Providing for the nation is not only providing for the government, it’s not about working for state institutions, entrepreneurship and many other works come under providing for the nation, in the country and even abroad.

We need to ask ourselves what we prioritize of all these things. If it is national interest we prioritize, their work must come second. This is something all political leaders and scholars teach us. However, we need to compile an audit on how these things are implemented, we need to think about this thoroughly because we do not see these things implemented at the end of the day. Every where we glance, we see people putting national interest on hold and chasing their own interests and self-seeking above all else.

I did not want to give this chance during my governance. This is why I had to take numerous measures against some. I did my best to carry out everything under the legal ambit. However, it saddens me today that this is being turned the other way around. I do believe that situations will change and adapt as things flow. The only thing that must not change is the love for our nation, we must keep our national interest at heart.

In these last days, the only thing I’d like to do is thank all of those who voted for me in the presidential election in September. Especially those 96,000 people who have come out to show their support for me, I would like to thank them from the depths of my heart.

I also thank those who did not cast their votes for me, but I’d like to remind them that even though they did not cast their votes for me, they must not be reckless in their work to put national peace, independence and sovereignty first. They need to comprehend how dangerous it is to let foreigners mingle with our internal affairs. If they show perseverance in these things, my heartfelt gratitude goes to them even though they did not cast their votes for me.

My first priority has always been the nation, it has always been to carry out things under the legal ambit and due procedure. I do not believe that there should be any differentiation in different levels and classes of people, when justice is served. This may have been the biggest challenge my administration faced. However, even today, I’d like to add even after stepping down from office, that I have no complaints on the opportunities paved for implementing my decision and policies.  

I aimed to implement the law, to ensure that the power of law is equal for all. I know no other form of justice than this. I served justice under due procedure, within the courts of the Maldives. All due procedure was carried out before the final verdict was heard in all cases. If there is any form of ingratitude about these things, there is nothing more I can say or do, however, I have done everything I did, for the sake of the country, and for the rights of my citizens. I have no regrets in this.

A President is sworn in with the responsibility to follow out a systemic procedure, equally and fairly. Justice is everything desired by the citizens. One must not be fair only in terms of criminal justice. One must preserve justice for women, for the disabled and many others as well. Along with my cabinet ministers, I worked to deliver justice for all during these past five years. My wish is to see Maldives progress in this manner.

We all need to remember the progress that has been brought in all areas. Every President will leave a legacy behind when his tenure ends and I believe all citizens will assess all Presidents for the services they provided, as well as their weaknesses. I hope citizens consider some points when deciding on my governance, as such, if the situation of the country has been changed, if hardships faced by citizens have been eradicated, if the sectors that require progress such as health, education, economy and social sectors have observed progress, or if the conditions worsened.

The next most important question that arises is how I have worked to deliver justice for all citizens. If justice was left in the hands of courts, or if they were done arbitrarily like in previous governments, or if I carried things out under the legal ambit, through courts. The question is if I did things fairly when delivering justice, if I took public peace as something important, if I was persistent in maintaining cultural attributes within citizens, if these chances were given during my administration and how much I prioritized national peace and security.

Whatever decision we make, we must put national security first. We must anticipate the outcomes of all of our decisions, and we must anticipate what impact it is going to have on national security. If these things are not thought through, progress will not follow.

While things have come down to the current situation, my only wish is to see national security prosper, and to prioritize it in every aspect. I wish for all citizens to consider it before reaching any of their decisions regarding the governance of institutions and to be wary of threats that may arise to national security. Nothing can be prioritized over national security when it comes to the progress of the nation.

The only grievances I raise are ones that are for the benefit of the people. It is because numerous citizens are being deprived of care every day. I base my policies in order to cater for those citizens.

Even after I step down from power, I will remain resilient as a Maldivian who is loyal and thoughtful towards the nation, to go forth alongside the citizens in my political career. 

While I leave office after completing my five-year term, I implore almighty Allah to keep the citizens safe from foreign influence, external threats to national security and every important thing I’ve mentioned earlier, to ensure public peace and security.

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