Mayor-elect Azim vows court action to ensure Male land handover

Adam Azim, who won the mayor's seat in Male City Council, has said that if the government does not hand over the land allotted to the people of Male by the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP)’s government, he will take the figt to the courts, if he must.

Azim has said he will make the dreams of the people of the city come true at a ceremony held at Sultan Park to celebrate his victory in the mayoral election.

Azim, who won 44% of the vote, said he would not back down an inch to solve the problems faced by the city.

“The MDP's vision is to produce dignified and respectable citizens,” Azim said.

He said it is very important to hand over the land to the people who received the land given by their previous government.

"President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has provided housing for citizens who needed a house or land. We are here to take the people of Male to the lands they have in the islands that will be connected by the bridge; Gulhifalhu, Giraavaru and Uthuru Thila Falhu," Said Azim.

“In my term as mayor, with the help of all MDP members, we will take our people of Male, and those in Dhaftharu (Municipal Register) and those who will give up the small flats, in exchange for land, to the places connected by the bridge," Azim said.

He said he would try to arrange it for the people who have received flats as well.

"The upcoming parliamentary elections are important. They are important to get the housing you need. Very important," he said.

He said the government is trying not to hand over the land given to the people of Male during the MDP government and it is important for the MDP to win more seats in the March parliamentary elections to stop that.

After the celebration, Azim told reporters that his top priority would be to resolve the land issue.

“When the parliamentary elections come in three months, if we don’t win the parliamentary elections, they will hold us for three months without doing anything and they will win the parliamentary elections and stop it all and start taking us all to Fushidhiggaru,” he said.

He said the MDP has always worked within the legal framework and therefore he would do everything in this regard.

"I think we can also use the [power] of the parliament we have now. However, when a new parliament comes in three months, it will be difficult to work if we don't get the parliament right," Azim said.

"The idea is that we will soon start taking these cases to court so that it can be expedited now. I can initiate the process to move the court to hand over the lands through the council. There is nothing we will not do for it," he said, adding that he would go to the court to ensure that the people of the city get their land.