Anti-Corruption Commission investigating HDC's involvement in President Yameen's campaign

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has begun investigating allegations of the state-run Housing Development (HDC) Corporation being involved in President Abdulla Yameen’s failed bid for re-election this September.

While several such allegations mounted during the campaign, the ACC said this week that it is now investigating allegations that the corporation had purchased metal poles for use in the campaign, at its own expense.

A high-ranking employee at HDC has said that large sums were spent on President Yameen’s campaign, an assertion supported by the fact that the government is currently working to supplement HDC’s ‘cashflow’, which recently took an abrupt down turn. Critics say that HDC may have spent an upwards of MVR 30 million on the campaign.

The employee further said that 150 new staff were hired ahead of the campaign, with each of them being given over MVR 8,000 as monthly compensation.

Ali Nashid, the senior finance officer at HDC, had even confessed to their employees threatening supporters of president-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Yameen’s electoral rival.

HDC, and multiple other state enterprises, have been accused of being involved in the ruling party’s activities. HDC’s vehicles have even been used to carry equipment and utilities used at rallies.

President Abdulla Yameen’s administration has also denied allegations that they coerce, intimidate, and bribe employees of state enterprises and the civil service to support them.