Nasheed

Minister of Home Affairs Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has said that former President Mohamed Nasheed’s claims that religious extremism exists in Maldives, could have serious adverse impact on the Maldivian economy.

Dr Jameel said that Nasheed made these statements with bad intentions, and that they hold no truth.

“He makes these statements because he knows they will catch the attention of the world media, because Maldives is a 100 percent Muslim country. It is very irresponsible behaviour by an ex President. This is likely to affect Maldives’ image, which will affect the economy. It will change the perception of the people who believe such a threat could exist,” he said.

Dr Jameel said that ‘extremists’ that fit Nasheed’s description do not exist in Maldives, and noted that if they did exist, foreign countries would have brought it to the attention of Maldives Intelligence.

Dr Jameel highlighted that the National Security Policy and Defence Policy stipulate that activities that damage the country’s economy also threaten national security; and that the government is making efforts to clarify the truth about Maldives to the world.