Umar: PNC or MDP, they are all busy lining their own pockets

Former Home Minister Umar Naseer says he doesn’t see much of a difference between the rule of incumbent People’s National Congress (PNC) administration or the former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration, remarking that both parties are busy lining their own pockets.

In an interview to Channel 13 on Monday night, Umar said that the incumbent PNC administration is down the same track as the MDP administration, with both sharing similar stands.

He does not see much of a difference between both administrations.

“Both parties ruled and continue to rule around the state’s coffers. To access the state coffers. They handing out government contracts to whoever they want. They are distributing state resources to whoever they want. The MDP did too. And the PNC is doing it too,” he said.

“Both parties rule the same. Even on the issue of Indian soldiers.”

Umar said that the PNC administration has shifted its stance on Indian troops to the same one adopted during the MDP administration.

He said that both parties are also following a similar track when it comes to issues such as corruption and embezzlement.

“[Defense Minister] Ghassan [Maumoon] is now making the same remarks that Mariya [Ahmed Didi] made back when she was Defense Minister,” he said.

“Unnecessary appointments. Unnecessary appointments to state institutions. The MDP did this at an extraordinary level. And so are these people,” he said.

Umar questioned whether there is a single institution that does not have more employees than it actually needs.

He said that both administrations were marked by “jobs to their party members, contracts to their party members, and distribution of uninhabited islands to their party members.”

Umar said that neither the PNC nor MDP has any intention of serving the people.

“They rule for the sake of their party. For the sake of their party members,” he said.

Umar had served as Home Minister during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration, but had resigned over differences.