President Mohamed Muizzu has pledged to hold those involved in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) scandal accountable. Speaking at a rally organised by his ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) on Sunday, President Muizzu noted the importance of recovering the misappropriated funds for the benefit of the people.
The MMPRC scandal, which cast a shadow over the nation, was orchestrated by high-ranking officials during the Abdulla Yameen administration. President Muizzu pledged a thorough investigation into the scandal, aiming to uncover the truth and ensure justice prevails. “I want to recover those funds for the sake of the people,” he declared.
While the sole conviction related to the MMPRC theft is that of Ahmed Adeeb, the former Vice President under Yameen’s rule, President Muizzu stated that he remains committed to pursuing justice for all involved. Adeeb received a 20-year prison sentence, but it was commuted under the previous administration’s clemency policy.
Former President Yameen himself faced convictions in connection with the scandal, receiving both a five-year and an 11-year prison sentence. However, the apex court later overturned these convictions, granting him freedom.
President Muizzu also unveiled plans for legislation dedicated to recovering state funds lost to corruption. The proposed law, he added, aims to reclaim money syphoned off from the state coffers and deposited in overseas banks.
Political analysts say that President Muizzu has brought the MMPRC scandal to the forefront in response to President Yameen’s criticism against his administration’s policies. Despite their once-unbreakable alliance, Presidents Muizzu and Yameen now find themselves on opposite sides of the political divide.
President Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the PNC are now under President Muizzu’s influence, prompting President Yameen to break away from the PPM and establish a new political party, the People’s National Front (PNF), to advance his political agenda.
