Mohamed Hassaan, the Senior Policy Director at the Ministry of Tourism, was dismissed on Thursday soon after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih terminated the tourism minister, Ali Waheed.
According to local media Mihaaru, Hassaan's dismissal was confirmed by the Chief Communications Strategist at the President's Office, Ibrahim Hood.
Authorities have not discloses a reason for the dismissal. Hassaan is yet to comment on his termination.
Hassaan had served in the civil service during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Although he resigned after the incumbent government came to power, he was later appointed to a political post within the tourism ministry.
He was a close associate of Ali Waheed, as well as Moosa Zameer, who had served as the last tourism minister in Yameen's administration.
Ali Waheed was dismissed from his post as the tourism minister early Thursday after he failed to tender his resignation, as ordered by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Wednesday night.
The president ordered Waheed's resignation following complaints regarding incidents of misconduct within the tourism ministry, which were lodged by the ministry staff at the President's Office and the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services.
Although the police revealed that they received complaints of sexual assault against female employees of the tourism ministry, neither the President's Office nor the gender ministry has confirmed the nature of the complaints.
However, local media reports that Waheed was terminated in connection with the alleged sexual assault and harassment complaints, which would make him the first Maldives' minister to be terminated on such grounds.
Waheed's response to the situation so far was a tweet saying that "time will tell the truth" and the "truth will always prevail". He added that he was proud to have served the Maldivian people and nation "with honesty and energy".
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