Abbas calls to dismiss all ACC members over land issue

Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abbas, on Monday, has called for the dismissal of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s members over the handover of land plots during the last MDP administration.

Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidar was summoned to the Parliament on Monday to answer questions over delays in the handover of housing awarded during the last administration. Main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s MPs, discontent with the answers provided by the Minister, voiced their displeasure – resulting in loss of order within the chamber.

Ultimately the sitting was suspended. The debate on the Insurance Bill took place after the sitting was resumed.

While debating on the bill, Abbas accused the former administration of developing resorts at uninhabited islands in atolls and using the tax revenue earned to the state from these resorts to reclaim land in the greater Male’ area to issue “free” land for residents and in this trajectory, emphasized that it was not the way to about it.

“Honorable Speaker, this is direct treason committed against Maldivian islands. This should not have been done,” he added.

Speaking at Monday’s sitting, Minister Haidar remarked that the plots awarded from the sea and lagoons cannot be considered as “land plots”.

Referencing the remarks, Abbas said any letters issued attesting to the award of land plots from a lagoon yet to be reclaimed has to be declared void with immediate effect. He also raised the question ACC had deemed it incorrect and intervened regarding the allocation of the marks for the 4,000 flats, while the allocation of marks for land plots from lagoons had not even been brought into question. 

He accused ACC of working to create conflict between the public and the current administration and henceforth, called for the dismissal of its members.

“Had ACC been asleep when State Minister Akram Kamaluddin had been continuously talking about flats during a previous five-year administration? Why did ACC wake up today, when the current administration has taken over. To defend their post. Honorable Speaker, ACC’s members should be dismissed,” he said.

Abbas also called on President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to not become an obstruction with respect to the former administration’s 4,000 flats and called to hand over the flats to the recipients as marks had been allocated by the former administration.

He also urged to arrest and penalize the individuals who misused their power while in government positions.

ACC had halted, and launched a criminal investigation after claiming discrepancies in the recipients’ list eligible for the 4,000 housing. A total of 325 complaints were filed with the commission regarding the list.

Following months-long limbo in the housing scheme, ACC permitted the issuance of the units after a review. Despite green-lighting the issuance of flats, ACC claimed 59.6 percent of the recipients were ineligible.

Notably, a protest was recently staged over the delays in the issuance of flats.

A petition was submitted to the Parliament urging against revoking the former administration’s flat list which is now under review by the relevant committee.

The current administration has affirmed that the land plots and flats will be handed over to its rightful recipients; a statement which was reiterated by Minister Haidar at Monday’s parliamentary sitting.