Falah criticizes Yameen regarding office benefits letter

A letter has surfaced and been reported in the media that was written by former President Abdulla Yameen addressed to the Finance Ministry, requesting the arrangement of operational costs for running an officer of a former president, totaling MVR 14.7 million from when Yameen stepped down as President up until now.

Inguraidhoo constituency PNC member Ibrahim Falah has criticized Yameen regarding the letter.

During last Thursday's Parliament debate on the amendment to the Former Presidents Protection and Benefits Act, Falah had spoken about Yameen and the issue of the costs surrounding Yameen's office operations.

During the People's National Front's (PNF) meeting last Thursday night, Yameen responded to Falah's remarks.

Yameen said that since the end of his term on 17th November 2019, he had not taken any funds from the MVR 175,000 that is reserved monthly from the state budget as operational expenses for the offices of former presidents. He also stated that he had not acquired any funds from the state for medical treatment.

Yameen specifically stated in his speech that he had not taken any funds from the state for the operation of former president's offices, and defended this point vigorously.

The information that the aforementioned letter Yameen had sent to the Finance Ministry on 10th November was made known to the media yesterday. While he stated that he had not taken the benefits for former President's offices and came out to defend himself, Yameen had not made any mention of the letter.

And so, PNC Parliamentary Group leader Falah responded to Yameen on social media today.

Falah stated that as Yameen was imprisoned from 2018 to 2023, no individual who is undergoing a jail sentence can receive President's office operational funds as per the law.

While repeatedly accusing Yameen of "theft" on the social media post, Falah said that Yameen acted in such a manner as well while trying to acquire office operational funds from the state.

"Some people do not like me due to me speaking the truth on such matters," said Falah.

The Finance Ministry has requested legal recommendations from the Attorney General's Office regarding the release of backdated funds Yameen had requested, with the funds in question being the MVR 14.7 million from the state for former President's office operational funds that includes the time he had spent incarcerated. The Attorney General's Office confirmed this to Mihaaru News yesterday.

The funds for the operation of former President's offices is released by the state once a request is submitted. It is known that Yameen had not issued a request in order to acquire the office funds in the past.

The state provides a monthly sum of MVR 175,000 for the operation of former President's offices. At this rate, Yameen would receive MVR 14.7 million.

Article 8 of the Former Presidents Protection and Benefits Act reads that in the situation where a former President wants to do social work that benefits the community, the state shall arrange monthly funds up to MVR 175,000 in order to arrange an office, employees and other resources.

While looking at the calculations up until October, MVR 8.1 million in financial benefits and expenses for Yameen's accommodation have been released. From the year his term as President ended in 2019, the state had released a sum of MVR 600,000 yearly to Yameen as expenses for his accommodation, with the same amount being given yearly to Yameen as financial benefits.

The state had released a sum of MVR 73,000 for his accommodation, with the same sum being given as financial benefits the year his term had ended.