Meekail calls MDP to reject housing minister's appointment

South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed on Tuesday urged the parliament not to approve housing minister Dr Ali Haider, alleging that the new government has started the process of stealing the lands of the people of Male city.

Speaking in the debate on the budget for next year, Meekail said the budget shows the housing of the people of the city being looted.

Referring to the housing minister's remarks on Monday regarding the land allocated to the people of Male by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's government, Meekail said on Tuesday that President Mohamed Muizzu had said during his presidential election campaign that he would give those lands to Male residents.

“We will hand over [the land] to the people without any change from where they got it, from the location they got it from, as the previous government gave it, without any change in the size,” he had said.

Meekail made these remarks a day after housing minister Haider said that if the government believes that the areas where the former President Solih's government has given land and registered land are not the most suitable areas for land allocation, the location of the land may be changed. However, the island where the land was granted will not change, Haider said.

Meekail said the tone of President Muizzu has now changed and the government is trying to “rob” the land given to the people of Male.

“I see this budget robbing the people of Male of their housing,” he said.

Referring to the housing minister's remarks at the press conference, Meekail said the minister on Monday made "pipe talk" that no Maldivian cabinet minister had ever made before.

Though land had been allotted from some unreclaimed lands under the Binnveriya scheme of the former government, the housing minister said on Monday that he would seek legal advice on how to deal with the registries issued on the properties.

While the new government's cabinet has been sent to the parliament for approval, Meekail called on his fellow MDP colleagues to reject his appointment. 

“When approving ministers, I respectfully ask the MDP leadership, the parliamentary group, my brothers and sisters, I respectfully ask you not to put a three-line whip on green to approve this housing minister,” he said.

"My vote, honourable speaker, certainly I will not give my vote to approve this housing minister... I don’t approve of the new Housing Minister, the Male South Galolhu constituency does not approve of him, and Male city itself clearly would not!”