Minister Ihusaan alleges widespread corruption across many institutions in Maldives

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan said last night that most institutions in the Maldives have become a 'nest' of corruption, which now represents the largest barrier to law enforcement authorities.

Speaking at the special ceremony held at Dharubaaruge, Malé City, last night to inaugurate the second phase of the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology's 'Naares' Portal and Operation 'Kurangi,' the Minister revealed that corrupt conduct has been observed among employees of agencies under the Ministry. He described this as an unfortunate development.

"However, it is a very clear instruction from the President that we have a zero-tolerance policy for such conduct, particularly in uniformed institutions. We are committed to eliminating even the slightest trace of corruption," Ihusaan said.

The Minister also recalled the recent uncovering of a network involving 18 officers from the Maldives Correctional Service who were caught smuggling drugs and mobile phones into Maafushi Prison. Thirteen of the officers arrested during this operation are now in remand pending trial. The investigation further revealed that some of these officers had engaged in substantial monetary transactions.

Ihusaan affirmed that all institutions under the Ministry are committed to ensuring that their employees are sincere and honest, emphasizing that no one is exempt from this standard.

"The assurance I want to give to the people and the President is that we will persist in our service with utmost sincerity," said the Minister.

Corruption in some state institutions was recently extensively discussed in several parliamentary committees. Specific focus was given to issues such as Fenaka Corporation Limited and other government agencies, which faced significant corruption under the previous administration. The discussions highlighted how the government neglected these institutions despite substantial financial losses, leading to heated debates.

The Ministry of Homeland Security stated that the 'Naares' Portal introduced last night aims to enhance service delivery by closely engaging with the public. This includes assisting with crime reduction efforts and national identity card services.

The Ministry also noted that the second phase of Operation 'Kurangi,' inaugurated last night, will grant local councils the authority to obtain fingerprints of expatriates residing on the islands and enter this data into the system.