While Faisal Ibrahim -son of President of the opposition People’s National Congress (PNC)- had been employed at the Maldives mission in Malaysia during the previous administration, it has been revealed that he had spent over MVR 70,000 from the official budget for personal reasons.

A report published by the Auditor General’s Office on Sunday, of the 2018 financial records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, notes that Faisal had spent the amount to purchase Prada brand glasses for himself and wife.

The report notes that various expenditures outside of the insurance scheme provided to the Maldivian employees at the high commission in Malaysia.

While the report highlights that the minister-counselor at the high commission had spent MVR 72,438 from the budget to purchase two sets of Prada glasses that year, Faisal Ibrahim filled this position at the time.

Noting that changes were brought to the salaries and allowance regulations of ministry employees at diplomatic missions in 2017, the Auditor General’s Office stated that such expenditures are not permitted under these regulations.

In addition, the report highlights that a total of MVR 26,360 was used from the mission’s budget for medical check-ups of then ambassador and wife.

Noting that these expenditures were against regulations, the office asked the relevant institutions to recover the funds.

While Faisal was the minister-counselor at the Maldives High Commission in Malaysia, his father, Abdulla Raheem Abdulla, was the parliament representative for Fonadhoo constituency as well as the deputy leader of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).