Financial coup claims will raise questions internationally: Shahid

The President's claim of an attempted financial coup by Maldives' main bank would raise questions from the international community, said former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.

Speaking at opposition party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)'s press conference today, the party's president Shahid said this, adding that while the government has failed to secure international confidence within the nine months it has been in power, their actions are only making matters worse.

"A lot of countries in the world would be worried today when the President says that the country's main bank attempted a coup against the government. Many countries will question what is going on," Shahid said.

"[They would question] why the [country's] leader said that there was a big coup attempted within the country's national bank. This question will be asked."

Shahid said that the government came on to power claiming that funds were arranged for all development projects, but that their narrative has now changed. Instead, they're now saying they've received "green signals", he said.

He went on to say that it is not easy to secure foreign aid for the country and that the current administration would now be aware of this.

"It is a difficult task. [They] won't put the money in a briefcase and just hand it over just by going to a country and talking to them. This isn't the era where money is given in a brief case," Shahid said.

"Aid is received from a country based on the relationship maintained with the country and how much confidence the country has in the government. From what is published, [you] are saying that no free aid was received within the past nine months. It is not received because of lack of confidence."

Shahid added that a country will give free aid if they have confidence that the government will utilise the funds properly and within the policies and regulations. They would also consider tensions between the country and the international community, and how much the country accepts international norms, he said.

"If nothing was received in nine months, it means that the government has not gained international confidence," Shahid reiterated.