A silent protest has been held in capital city Malé on Thursday, calling for action against illicit enrichment.

The protest was held in front of the Hotel Jen, where leaders of the government coalition met to discuss the upcoming parliamentary elections and conduct of the current sitting.

Placards and banners held up by participants of the protest, most of them quite young, called for ‘stolen funds’ to be returned, to keep ‘the rich out of parliament’, and asks that candidates uninterested in declaring financial statements be barred from contesting for elections.

Mohamed Ahmed, one of the organizers of the protest, also expressed discontent with the idea that parliament constituencies be divided amongst parties in the coalition.

Ahmed said that the parties should give constituents an option and should not ask the people to vote for individuals chosen by ‘rich businessmen and politicians’.