Mulay continues to express concern over remarks made by Abbas: Foreign Ministry

Maldives Foreign Ministry has said that Indian High Commissioner for the Maldives D. M. Mulay continues to express concern over the remarks made by the former President’s Office Spokes Person Abbas Adil Riza. Abbas had publicly accused Mulay of accepting bribes and had warned that Mulay too must leave the country along with GMR.

Attending a summons by the Parliament Committee on the Oversight of the Government, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hassan Saeed said that Mulay has emphasized the fact that senior government officials have spoken about him on public stages.

Hassan Saeed said that the ministry had met with Mulay on the 20th of last month and Mulay had very clearly stated that he has been a target of abuse by senior government officials.

“We had a meeting with Mulay on the 20th of December regarding the visa issue. He very clearly told us about the attacks that had been aimed at him by some people on public podiums,” said Hassan Saeed.

Furthermore, he said that representative from foreign governments are representatives of their country, president, people and policies and that the Foreign Ministry is saddened and concerned that these representatives have come to be a target of such remarks.

“We would like to say that the Foreign Ministry is concerned about such incidents. It does not matter which country it is, the delegate that come here represent their president and their people. They are entitled to special privileges and should be treated with dignity,” said Hassan Saeed.

Foreign Minister Abdul Samad Abdulla had also said in yesterday’s meeting that it is unacceptable for any party to ridicule foreign delegates, and that Abbas Adil Riza’s remarks are unacceptable.

“As the Foreign Minister, I do not believe that it [Abbas’s remarks] was right. Because it is my role to strengthen the relations we have with all countries,” Samad said.

Speaking at a rally on the 9th of November last year, which had called for the government to reclaim the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) from GMR, President’s Office Spokes Person Abbas Adil Riza said that High Commissioner Mulay had lost perception of what his designation entitles, and that they will not allow him to threaten and create chaos any further. The rally was organized by some parties which belong to the current government coalition.

“Like a person who has ants crawling up his legs, as if he as chili in his eyes, the Indian High Commissioner is going about threatening the Maldivians. He has lost perception of what his job entitles him. We will not allow him to create chaos,” Abbas Adil Riza, who is currently the Minister of State for Finance, had said.

High Commission Mulay’s term has expired when this incident occurred. Mulay arrived in the Maldives on April of 2009 and had exhausted his 3 year term by April of 2012. The Indian government has however not replaced Mulay, and he is still resides in Maldives and holds the post of High Commissioner to the Maldives.

Sun has come to know that Mulay is scheduled to depart in the middle of February this year. Mulay is currently the longest serving Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives.