PNC MP Hussain Shareef Vows No 'Zionist Agents' Will Get Maldives Sand as Rasmalé Land Deal Opposition Grows

Hussain Shareef, the Member of Parliament for Hulhumalé North constituency, has said that no opportunity will be given for Zionist agents to get their hands on even a patch of sand of the Maldives. Hussain made the statement in a social media post at a time when the government is working to give 500 hectares of land in Rasmalé to the UAE company Egal Hills. "No opportunity will be given for the cunning agents of the oppressive Zionist Jews to get their hands on even a patch of sand of the Maldives where the sovereignty of the Maldives prevails!" Hussain said in the post. This is the second time Hussain, who sits as a member of the ruling PNC, has made such a post. Earlier, last Monday, he had also posted saying that he will not support anything that brings harm to the religion and the nation, and that he will not stand with any group that does such a thing. As voices opposing the giving of Rasmalé land to a foreign party grow louder, the government has submitted a real estate bill to the Majlis, stating that the project would receive special exemptions, that alcohol and pork would be sold at places permitted under the tourism law in that city, and that properties would be sold for 99 years without becoming vacant. Among those opposing the Rasmalé project, the biggest concern being noted is that people of different religions would be able to reside permanently in that place. Article 89 of the bill currently submitted to the Majlis states that leaseholds of apartments and properties in the special zone can be sold to foreigners for 99 years. And when a foreigner buys a property from the master developer, what they get is not the remaining period of the previous lease. Instead, when the previous lease is surrendered to the government, a new 99-year lease must be issued by the authority directly to the purchasing party. According to Article 78 (b) of the bill, even if the master developer's term ends, a lease issued in that manner will continue to exist. Under this model, foreigners who buy are given full authority to resell the property to other parties and to mortgage it to banks. Therefore, this is seen as an arrangement brought to eliminate the protections of the Constitution and to make it possible for foreigners to own land permanently or without it becoming vacant. But the government describes this as a very large benefit brought to the real estate market, and as something that is very much needed.