MP Meekail accuses FM Khaleel of dodging questions on Saudi ‘prince’, gets expelled from Parliament chamber

South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, a lawmaker from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), was expelled from the Parliament’s chambers on Wednesday morning, following a verbal spar that erupted after he accused Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel of deliberately dodging his questions.

Khaleel was summoned to the Parliament to answer questions by Meekail regarding a meeting on May 5 between President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and a supposed Saudi prince called Fahad Saud Alshalan, a day after the latter attended the signing of a joint venture agreement between Maldives and MBS Global Investments for the establishment of an USD 8.8 billion Maldives International Financial Centre (MIFC). Alshalan was found to be a distant relative of the Saudi family without any official government role, and the statement on the President’s Office referring to him as “His Royal Highness Prince Fahad Saud Alshalan of Saudi Arabia” was later removed from its website.

Meekail asked Khaleel whether Alshalan was indeed a member of the Saudi royal family, why Saudi embassy officials did not attend the meeting, and if the incident resulted in any impact on Maldives-Saudi relations.

He also noted that the statement and photo of the meeting were quietly deleted by the President’s Office, and asked if the government believes it made a blunder.

Responding to these questions, Khaleel said that Alshalan is the son of a princess of Saudi royal descent.

“Fahad Saud Alshalan is the son of a princess of Saudi royal descent. He visited the Maldives back then on a business trip to settle some personal affairs,” he said.

Khaleel added that whether in the Maldives on an official or unofficial visit, it is up to President Muizzu to decide who he wishes to invite for a meeting with him.

He said that it did not have any impact on Maldives-Saudi relations, which he described as “close and brotherly.”

“In Sha Allah, Maldives-Saudi relations remain strong and will continue to strengthen in the coming days,” he said.

Meekail again asked him about the move by the President’s Office to delete the statement and photos regarding the meeting, and asked if the government believes it made a blunder.

Khaleel responded that he believes he has answered the question, and accused the opposition of trying to discredit foreign investors, adding that it is “not right for people in responsible positions to engage in talks that discredit investors.”

“Therefore, we must pay special attention to proceed in a way that attracts investors to the Maldives and bring prosperity to the Maldivian people,” he said.

The response did not sit well with Meekail, who accused Khaleel of deliberately dodging his questions.

He took a point of order and asked Khaleel to provide a clear and direct answer to his questions.

But Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla rejected the point of order, saying that he believes Khaleel has answered Meekail’s questions.

Meekail continued to protest the issue.

Abdul Raheem repeatedly instructed Meekail to maintain order, before finally naming him and ordering him to leave the chambers.

Meekail had filed the request to question Khaleel regarding the incident back in June. Khaleel was originally scheduled to attend the Parliament on June 14, but excused himself citing a busy schedule.

The move by the President’s Office to refer to Alshalan as “His Royal Highness” sparked controversy and criticism against the government, with former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom referring to him as a “scammer.”

Alshalan is not a member of the Saudi royal family, which has some 25,000 members, but is distantly related to it, as his maternal great-grandmother was the daughter of first Saudi king Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud.