Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has voiced strong criticism of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration.
President Dr. Muizzu's administration, which replaced President Solih's government in 2023, is marking its first year in office.
Speaking on a program on RaajjeTV, President Solih said while one year under the current administration has passed, the government has plunged citizens into "an abyss of hopelessness and fear" while failing to deliver on key promises.
Solih expressed concern over a proposed bill in parliament that could potentially allow the government to control the media. He said one of the administration's first actions was to undermine journalism, adding that the proposed bill, if passed, would allow the establishment of a government-dominated commission.
"If the commission identifies an issue about a media, it can suspend the entire media until the investigation is completed. This is one of the most dangerous steps in a democracy," he said.
President Solih also noted that the government is not fulfilling its promises to the fishermen. As a result, fishermen are facing the most challenging times in Maldives' history, he said. Reminding the government of its promise to purchase fish at more than MVR 20 per kilogram, and paying the fishermen within 48 hours while also facilitating dollar payments, the government has failed to deliver on these pledges too, he said.
“They buy fish for MVR 16 and even then, payment is delayed for two or three weeks,” he said.
President Solih also referred to recent changes in the Aasandha health insurance policy and said access to healthcare has worsened under the current administration, with people now forced to beg for healthcare. He further accused the government of continuing to maintain lies while failing to fulfill its commitments.
“If this continues, the people will face very difficult days ahead,” he said.
