The parliament’s minority leader, Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem (Red Wave Saleem) has said that due to the present administration’s retaliation approach to combat extremism, its threat has increased and the government’s policy to combat extremism has to be reformed.
Responding to the presidential address, MP Saleem said both religious and secular extremism had become a threat to the national security and that during the former president Yameen Abdul Qayyoom’s administration, some constructive works were done in the Maldives and Internationally as well.
However, with the change of the government, the government’s approach has changed to retaliation when dealing with religious extremists. This has led to an increased threat of terrorism in the Maldives.
“The attack on the three foreigners in Hulhumale’ is a proof of that,” said Saleem.
Saleem further said that the government have to be thoughtful about the way it deals with combating extremism. He said that the advisory committee the president formed is functionless and their work is very much politicized. The citizens are not getting the justice and the campaign slogan “fight for justice” is a “trap” to get votes. Currently, there is a need to economize; however, the government is forming additional commissions, commented Saleem.
Moreover, he criticised the government’s decision about not to conduct the exam on the Quran subject in schools, said that it is a pathetic decision, that it shows the government is not interested in the Quran and its knowledge.
