MDP president says people are being made ‘wage slaves’ as SOE staff face political pressure

Opposition MDP President Abdullah Shahid has accused the government of using state‑owned companies to intimidate employees and threaten their jobs ahead of the upcoming local council elections.

Speaking at the launch of the MDP’s campaign for the April elections, Shahid said the government was “making people slaves to their salaries” by employing large numbers of citizens in SOEs and then using those jobs as leverage.

“They stopped the independent work of the Maldivian people by filing SOEs in every island, making everyone wage slaves and threatening them with intimidation,” Shahid said.

His remarks come after three employees of the Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO) were transferred from Thinadhoo City to other islands after they were seen supporting MDP candidates. The employees, Nabith Mohamed, Mohamed Naif, and Mohamed Solih Ahmed, were transferred to Kulhudhuffushi City and Ihavandhoo after appearing in a photo with senior MDP figures.

Shahid said such intimidation could only be stopped by empowering local councils.

މާލެސިޓީގެ މެޔަރ ކެންޑިޑޭޓް، މޭޔަރ @adamazim ވިދާޅުވަނީ، އެމްޑީޕީއަށް ވޯޓުލާން ޖެހޭ އެއްސަބަބަކީ..
ޤާނޫނު އަސާސީއިން ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ކަށަވަރުކޮށްދީފައިވާ ގޯތިގެދޮރުގެ ހައްޤު މިސަރުކާރުން ބުރިބުރިކޮށް ފޮތިފޮތިކޮށް ކޮށަމުން ގެންދާތީކަމަށް.

ލޯކަލް ކައުންސިލް އަދި އަންހެނުންގެ… pic.twitter.com/904ej9xhZN

— MDP Secretariat (@MDPSecretariat) February 12, 2026

Referring to the ruling PNC’s parliamentary majority and its approval to merge two major elections, Shahid said the move raised a “dangerous” question about the government’s intentions. He criticised the administration’s push for a referendum, saying it was “filled with fraud and deception,” and argued that the direction of President Mohamed Muizzu’s government was toward autocracy.

“As proposed now, they are combining two elections in the name of cutting MVR 20 million. If they want to cut MVR 20 million, cut 30 political jobs. They don’t want to do that. Instead, they want to tape the mouths of half the nation’s population,” he said.

Shahid described the current administration as an “interim government,” saying there was no reason for the public to vote for a two‑year government or its president.

“Fill up the council boxes, vote for the scale [MDP emblem]. We are alert, we are ready, we are taking this election and defeating this government and President Dr. Muizzu,” he told supporters.