End Culture of Borrowing, Make Maldives a Donor Nation: Malé Mayor Adam Azim

Malé City Mayor Adam Azim has called for an end to the culture of borrowing and transforming the Maldives into a financially strong nation that provides aid to other countries. Speaking at a campaign rally for former Vice President Faisal Naseem in Hulhumalé on Friday night, Azim said the country must stop relying on loans and instead build a robust economy that serves the people without the need for begging. Azim, who is running as a running mate for Naseem in the MDP presidential primary for the 2028 election, expressed confidence in reviving the national economy based on his own experience turning around the state-owned company MTCC. He noted that when he took over MTCC, it was running at a loss, but within three years he restructured its loans and turned it into a profitable company, increasing revenue from 1 billion to 3 billion rufiyaa. Azim also highlighted the work of the Malé City Council, saying it established its own office within its budget for the first time in 15 years, saving 80 million rufiyaa. However, he lamented that 72 million rufiyaa of that amount has since been taken. "We are not coming to strengthen our own power. We are coming to empower the people so that they do not have to beg," Azim said. He criticized the habit of celebrating whenever the Maldives receives a loan or aid from another country, and called for a shift in mindset towards self-reliance, likening the goal to countries like Singapore that have strong reserves.