‘People would park inside mosques if they could’: Minister Ameen

Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen has criticized the worsening state of parking discipline in Maldives, saying that people’s behaviour has deteriorated to the point that “if they had the chance, some would even park inside mosques.”

Responding to a question in Parliament from PNC MP Ibrahim Hassan, the minister defended the decision to impose both fines and towing for illegal parking, arguing that such measures were necessary to tackle the growing issue.

“People have lost their sense of discipline when it comes to parking. If there’s space, some would even park their motorcycles behind the prayer rows inside the mosque,” Ameen said.

He added that the two forms of penalty, including towing and fines were justified, given the scale of the problem.

“When people’s ethics reach that point, there should be more than just two punishments,” he remarked.

Minister Ameen also cited police statistics showing that impounding vehicles for 48 hours instead of 24 had led to a reduction in illegal parking cases.

“It’s actually working well. Depending on the situation, the duration could be increased,” he said.

However, the minister noted that any tightening of parking regulations should be introduced gradually and with consideration, to ensure public cooperation.