No Desire to See Scenes from North Korea in the Maldives: Nasheed

Former President Nasheed, Speaker of the Majlis, has said that he did not wish to see "scenes from North Korea" unfurl in the Maldives, and that even imagining them caused him grief.

Nasheed returned to the Maldives after a 4-month absence under heightened security conditions enforced by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) which caused a stir on social media; many comparisons had been made between Nasheed's security detail and that of North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un.

MP Ahmed Shiyam took note of the sentiments expressed on social media platforms on the floor today. He mentioned that although some people had found humor in the videos and photos posted, the reality of the situation "was not a joke at all", and this only served to show the current state of the nation.

Speaker Nasheed responded that MP Shiyam's perception of "scenes from North Korea in the Maldives" caused him grief, as well.

He said that neither he nor the Majlis were in charge of his security detail, but it was rather the domain of the MNDF who decide on its implementation based on existing threat-levels. He said that he wished to see a day when everyone could happily be happy and free together.