MP Falah calls for state to reclaim free land given in Male' area

The ruling PNC parliamentary group leader, Ibrahim Falah, has called for the state to reclaim land in Male' that was allocated for free during the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, describing the decision as “a huge injustice.”

Speaking in parliament today, Falah stressed that his remarks were made as a Maldivian citizen, not in his capacity as Inguraidhoo MP or as PNC majority leader.

“What I believe is that the plots should be taken back, after compensating for any construction made on them,” he said.

“Ninety-nine percent of people would agree that this is unfair. One person is given a flat on a payment basis, while a huge plot of 1,200 square feet is being given for free. What kind of justice is this?”

Falah said that if sold through bidding, each plot would fetch around MVR 12 million, while flat recipients are paying MVR 4 million over 25 years. He urged the government to reclaim the land, compensating only for any work done, which he said could save the state around MVR 10 billion.

Some members of MDP, which held a parliament majority at the time, have also criticized the previous government’s free land allocations.

Former MDP MP Moosa Siraj submitted a letter to parliament stating that the flats in Hulhumale' Phase 2 had been given to H8 and H9 category Male' residents on a payment basis.

The letter noted that Housing Development Corporation (HDC) recently opened 60 plots of land for sale at MVR 7,000 per square foot, but demand from Male' residents remains high.

Siraj described the free land allocation as a “gross injustice,” saying it provided MVR 48 billion worth of land to 5,000 families at a time when state debt had reached MVR 100 billion, amid concerns over potential default.

He also questioned whether the land would be fairly distributed and called for an estimate of the revenue the state could generate if the land were sold through bidding.