North Hithadhoo MP Abdulla Sodhiq, who has been speaking in parliament entirely in Addu dialect since he was elected, posed a question in today's parliament sitting to Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib in the same dialect.

Minister Muththalib, who hails from Huvadhoo atoll, then proceeded to respond in the atoll's own dialect. 

Previously, Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali received backlash on social media after she said she did not entirely understand a question asked by Sodhiq as she is not fluent in Addu dialect. 

In today's sitting, Sodhiq once again questioned a minister in his native Addu dialect. His question focused on his concerns regarding limited access to safe drinking water in Addu due to issues with the water system. 

Minister Muththalib immediately responded with, "Since you ask the question in Addu dialect, shall I respond in Huvadhoo dialect?"

He then replied in his native dialect and said that Sodhiq, too, bears some responsibility for the issues arising in the drinking water system. This, he said, is because during Sodhiq's tenure as a State Minister, the ministry had decided there was no need to lay pipes for the water system during a road development project in Addu City. 

This has led to the need to lay pipes afresh, hence complicating the process, the minister said. 

The minister, however, assured that the government is working towards resolving issues in the water system at the earliest.