Wednesday
24th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
President Yameen. Photo: TMJ
Former President Abdullah Yameen has stated that the creation of jobs in state owned enterprises, close to elections, can only be seen as an act of corruption.
Opposition Progressive Congress coalition handed over the Party’s Presidential ticket to the former President on Friday evening in a special rally.
Speaking in the rally, President Yameen said this administration has created huge number of jobs in regional power houses close to elections.
“My concern is creating a lot of jobs in powerhouses in small islands, near elections. The hired people cannot make repairs when the engines breakdown. Distributing jobs [for votes] cannot be seen as anything but corruption,” he said.
He added that Commonwealth Observers’ report on 2019 Parliament elections had noted influence of government figures. Several agencies, he said, still had this report.
President Yameen also noted the massive amounts of cash disbursed to individuals under the guise of damages. He referred to the Noomadi case, noting that under his administration, figures like the Attorney General and other key figures, had ruled out giving any damages to Noomadi. This decision, he said, was reversed when this administration came to power.
The companies who had profited from these damages, President Yameen said, would be evident years from now.
“We don’t know who had received this money now. It will be apparent someday, it will be looked into,” he said.
The former President said the Constitution passed in 2007 is a powerful one. However, the effectiveness of that Constitution has been dampened by individuals failing to fulfil obligations set in the Constitution.
Agencies such as Anti-Corruption Commission, he added, had failed to adhere to their mandate.