Rival candidates are imitating elements of the MDP manifesto, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said.
Speaking at a campaign rally at Lh.Olhuvelifushi today, President Solih, who is seeking re-election, said rival candidates were making minor changes to the MDP manifesto and making similar pledges to the people. He asked the people to reflect on these actions.
“When we outline our intention to lower housing loans by under six percent, the very next day, they claim they will provide it at under five percent," he noted.,” he said.
President Solih said MDP's recent decision to enable government employees to work from home during the last ten days of Ramadan was promptly followed by a rival candidate's pledge to close government offices during the same period. The president likened the "one-up" ing phenomenon to the rivalry between "Apple and Android."
"Just like Apple might announce a phone with three cameras, and a week later, Android will counter with a promise of four cameras. That's what we are witnessing here," he stated.
President Solih emphasized that other candidates are promising to undertake actions that the current government has either already accomplished or is actively pursuing. Giving an example, he said some candidates are pledging to build airports on islands where the government is already implementing airport projects.
Further illustrating his point, the president noted instances where candidates have pledged to offer collateral-free loans to small businesses while the government is already issuing such loans.
The President said no other candidate can present a more detailed and beneficial manifesto than the MDP's. He expressed confidence that he would win the election in a single round even if the September 9 presidential election were to be held today.
Making specific pledges for Olhuvelifushi, the president vowed to dredge land and build a picnic island, providing housing solutions, road development, mosque construction, and upgrading the islands's health center to provide services round-the-clock.
