Politics
Among the major political developments on 25 September 2026, former Home Minister Umar Naseer stated that during his presidency, he would completely halt the state budget allocation of approximately 30 million Rufiyaa annually to political parties and redirect the funds towards research. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu responded to debates, assuring that employees of state-owned enterprises would not be dismissed all at once suddenly, and stating that under the Rasmalé Eagle Hills agreement, 500 hectares of land were leased long-term without being sold and without a state guarantee. The opposition alleged that employees of state-owned companies were being threatened with dismissal from their jobs if they went to welcome former President Abdulla Yameen. In addition, the government has commenced efforts to empower the 20-year national development master plan by law. The government announced that a list of basic services in the islands has been compiled and that small and medium projects will be completed by the year 2028. Work has also begun to allocate a plot of land in Malé to construct the new Supreme Court building. The government opened the opportunity for the public to submit questions to the program where ministers answer the public's inquiries. Maldivian media highlighted the case in which the Supreme Court of India ruled that not singing the national anthem for religious reasons is not a criminal offense. The Chief Justice spoke regarding the role of judges in the administration of justice. President Muizzu sent condolences on the passing of the sibling of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Former Home Minister Umar Naseer has announced that during an administration led by him, the disbursement of state budget funds to political parties would be stopped entirely. Stating via the social media platform X, Umar said that in order to strengthen and reform the political party system, he would completely abolish the approximately MVR 30 million currently issued annually by the state to parties. In addition, he noted that due to the wasteful and corrupt governments run by political parties over the past 18 years, the Maldives has become the most indebted country in South Asia relative to its GDP.
Regarding ongoing discussions concerning the termination of employees in state-owned enterprises, the President stated that there is no intention to dismiss general employees under any government policy. He assured that although measures are being taken to reduce waste and strengthen governance in company operations, this will have no impact on the job security of regular employees. Furthermore, the President noted that the structural changes being brought to the companies are efforts to expedite services and establish a robust, transparent system, and that claims of job losses are contrary to the truth.
On 25 September 2026, the agreement signed with Eagle Hills under the Rasmale' project sparked major debates in the political arena, with opposition figures voicing concerns and raising questions regarding the matter. Responding to these criticisms, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu stated that the agreement is an important endeavor being carried out transparently for the development of the Maldives and the welfare of its citizens. He further assured that every step taken by the government is a decision made to protect the nation's highest interests, and that this project will bring significant progress to the economy and housing sector of the Maldives.
The government has begun work on establishing the essential basic services and components required on inhabited islands of the Maldives and compiling a dedicated list of these requirements. The main objective of this initiative is to ensure a quality life for the residents of every island, standardize the essential basic service benchmarks, and plan and implement island development projects equitably. Additionally, the compilation of this list will identify missing essential services on islands, facilitating the identification of priority areas during budget formulation and resource allocation.
To ensure that the 20-year National Development Master Plan being formulated to shape the future of the Maldives holds legal status and can be implemented, efforts to empower the plan through legislation were announced on September 25, 2026. Under the law to be enacted in this regard, it will pave the way for the nation's long-term development goals and policies to proceed without interruption, even if governments change. It is also noted that it will become mandatory for state institutions and ministries to align their projects in accordance with this master plan.
Following the passing of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's elder brother, Idrus Ibrahim, at the age of 83, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu sent a message of condolence on September 25, 2026. In the President's message, he extended sincere condolences to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and his family on behalf of the Government and people of the Maldives. Furthermore, he prayed to Almighty Allah to grant patience and fortitude to the bereaved family during this time of profound grief.
Speaking on Friday, 25 September 2026, the Chief Justice stated that the Supreme Court of the Maldives treats all courts with fairness and equality. In this statement, he provided assurance that the highest court is fully fulfilling its role in strengthening the judicial sector and upholding the rule of law. He also highlighted that the Supreme Court's primary objective is to administer the entire justice system without any discrimination and to ensure a fair environment for the operations of all lower courts.
Reports surfaced on 25 September 2026 stating that employees had been warned they would be dismissed from their jobs if they went to welcome former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. It was reported that this measure was communicated as an act of employment intimidation if employees participated in political activities and in welcoming President Yameen. This matter has raised concerns among many people, stating that it impedes employment rights and political freedom.
It was decided and announced on 25 September 2026 that the opportunity to send questions to ministers will be opened to the public. Under this opportunity, a way has been facilitated for citizens to directly direct and send questions related to various sectors to government ministers. This arrangement is an important opportunity provided with the aim of increasing the transparency of the government's work and broadening the scope for ministers to be accountable to the public. Furthermore, this system will provide additional empowerment to clarify information and issues of public concern directly with the ministers.
In order to strengthen the Maldivian judicial sector and provide a solution to the space constraints of the courts of law, a plot of land from Malé has been allocated for the construction of a new Supreme Court building. This land, allocated on 25 September 2026, was designated to modernize the services of the highest court in the Maldives and facilitate operations with adequate space and resources. With the allocation of special land from Malé to build the Supreme Court, it is expected that the work on the new building will commence and the administrative and judicial operations of the court will be further strengthened.
On September 25, 2026, the relevant authorities determined that not singing the national anthem for religious reasons is not a punishable offense. With this decision, it will be legally prohibited to take any kind of action or impose penalties against individuals who abstain from singing the national anthem due to personal religious beliefs. In addition, this decision highlighted the importance of respecting individual religious freedom and choices in such circumstances.
It has been stated that small and medium-scale projects planned across various islands of the Maldives will be completed by the end of 2028. The main objective of these projects is to enhance essential services on the islands and provide key developmental facilities needed by the citizens within a short period. Furthermore, it was revealed that efforts are underway with a focus on progressing this work in accordance with the established schedule and fully completing the projects by the year 2028.