Mahibadhoo Constituency MP Ahmed Thoriq stated that the best way to be rid of any doubts about a loan or project is to share the available information to the Parliament ahead of time. 

During today's Parliament debate regarding the bill on proceeds of crime, MP Thoriq said the government cannot take any loans without approval from the Parliament and that an amendment to the Public Finance Act makes it so that important strategic Maldivian assets cannot be sold.

The amendment was made during former President Mohamed Nasheed's government by the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunnge Party (DRP) majority Parliament due to attempts to lease Velana International Airport and because properties were being mortgaged and loans being taken out. 

Thoriq highlighted this was changed without any Parliament opinion and made it so that the government would once again have the power to make decisions during former President Abdulla Yameen's government when the ruling party held the majority in Parliament. Once the amendment was made, then-opposition party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) expressed concern but even so, MDP did not amend the act once they took office.

"The next question that is raised is whether the best way to get rid of any doubts is to share the available information to the Parliament ahead of time when the government had that much power and when there was a majority in Parliament," said Thoriq.

He went on to say that if such information is shared with the public via Parliament and it moves forward, any subsequent issues may be solved.

After his statement, Thoriq spoke about the Rasmale' project being awarded to the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Eagle Hills. He said that the government initially worked to dredge Rasmale' within the state budget and that the MDP-majority 18th Parliament were the first ones to oppose it.

Thoriq said the Rasmale' project had to be changed to a different model because of it.