The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) national assembly has on Wednesday passed to propose a parliamentary amendment disallowing the sale of land to foreigners.
Thirty-six of the 37 members present at the assembly had voted in favour of proposing the amendment.
Mohamed Shihab, Malé city mayor and the chair of an MDP committee on amending laws, said that the party aims to repeal both the 2015 law allowing foreign individuals and businesses to own Maldivian land and the law barring those above the age of 65 from running for presidency.
He referred to pro-government MP Ahmed Nihan’s leaked audio-clip, where he is heard talking extensively about the speculated sale of Faafu atoll, to say that it was only a political ruse to sell an island to Prince Mohamed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia.
“We need to end the possibility of selling Maldivian territory without so much as a vote or referendum, we cannot allow a mere two-third majority to make land that is ours, no longer ours” he said, advocating land sale only if a public vote allows it.
On July 22nd 2015, Maldives’ unicameral parliament voted to amend article 251, which prohibits the foreign ownership of any Maldivian territory, though it can be leased for a period not extending 99 years.
The amendment stipulates that any party or individual that wants to permanently acquire land in the country, must invest a sum of USD 1 billion, reclaim at least 70 percent of the island and this area should be visible at medium tide.
Nihan, who is also the ruling party’s parliamentary group leader, said in the aforementioned leaked tap that President Abdulla Yameen had handpicked him to propose the draft law allowing foreign ownership.
In the audio, Nihan can be heard saying that Prince Mohamed, Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister, took an interest in owning Himithi island of Faafu atoll. Said interest was reportedly sparked during a holiday the prince had spent in the Maldives in 2012.
Nihan says that Prince Mohamed is keen on purchasing land in the country is, in the parliamentarian’s words, “because we are a Muslim country, and he feels like he can tolerate us”.
Read More: Full transcript of MP Nihan's leaked audio clip
Further, despite foreign ownership, under the 2015 draft, the purchased territory would still be Maldivian and subject to its law, the law states. It was a controversial piece of legislation that sparked criticism from the opposition, and concern from the international community – namely India, which was primarily bother that the law may hinder security in the Indian Ocean.
