Ahmed Nihan, majority leader of parliament, has on Friday sent out a series of tweets defending the government’s ties with Saudi Arabia, which has prompted public concern over a possible atoll sale to the kingdom.
Nihan said in his tweet that President Abdulla Yameen would not ‘cease his efforts to develop the country’, no matter how provoked the opposition to him is.
“President Yameen will never cease the development projects he has ongoing, no matter how much the opposition writhes and wallows” Nihan said in his tweet.
Another, claims that it is no menial labour to have acquired an investment as large as USD 1 to 10 billion, which the atoll sale is speculated to be worth – owing to a presidential speech in Magoodhoo island of Faafu atoll.
Further, he insisted that it was a ‘problem’ that Maldives has citizens opposing ties with a fully Muslim nation, citing a verse from the fifth chapter of the Quran, Surat al-Ma’ida.
“O’ you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people” a translation of the verse reads.
This is not the first that a pro-government politician has given sacred priority to the land sale; Fisheries Minister Mohamed Shainee had likened comments criticizing the deal or Saudi Arabia as un-Islamic.
Read More: Minister says anti-Saudi sentiments violate Islam
After absolute silence over a reported ‘immense’ project in Faafu atoll, which President Yameen himself announced, Nihan was heard confirming, in a leaked audio clip, that Saudi Arabia intended to purchase the land.
He is heard saying that the 2015 amendment to Article 251 of the constitution allowing foreigners to purchase land in the Maldives, was especially intended to cater to the Islamic kingdom’s interest.
Nihan is also heard expressly stating that King Salman’s son, Defence Minister Mohamed bin Salman, was the one who was keen on purchasing land in the Maldives – adding that the Saudi government did not wish to publicize its involvement in the transaction.
