Motion over alleged bribery and tampering of flat list thrown out of Parliament

An emergency motion submitted by a lawmaker from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) over alleged attempts to tamper with the list of recipients of flats under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ housing scheme by taking bribes has been thrown out of the Parliament.

The Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) has developed 4,000 flats in Hulhumale’ Phase II under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ scheme, a social housing project launched by the former MDP administration.

On Wednesday, Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir’ submitted an emergency motion accusing government officials of taking bribes to tamper with the flat list and hold a separate draw.

However, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla refused to entertain the motion.

He said that Article 197 of the Parliament’s standing orders require emergency motions to be based on fact.

Abdul Raheem said that Mauroof had failed to prove his motion was based on fact, and announced he will not include it in the agenda.

The allegations in question had emerged back in September, when housing rights advocacy group Fahi Union said that individuals who claim to be Housing Ministry staff were attempting to “sell” some 350 of the housing units.

However, these allegations were denied by Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muthalib.

According to FDC, flat handover agreements have been signed with over 3,00 recipients, some 1,000 of whom have also paid the deposit. The first of the keys are being handed over for units in Amaan Udhares Tower 14 – one of the 32 towers of the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ project.

The handover of the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ flats has suffered repeated delays, resulting in mounting concern and frustration in the capital Male’, which faces a severe housing crisis.

The list of recipients of the flats, which was released during the last days of the MDP administration, was also the subject of an investigation by the ACC. The corruption watchdog ordered for the suspension of the issuance of flats, before finally giving the Housing Ministry the go-ahead to proceed in February 2024.

The incumbent administration released a new list of recipients after a verification process that lasted a year in February. But following public backlash over high number of disqualifications, decided that the flats would be issued based on the original list.