“A leopard can't change its spots”

“You can't fit a square peg in a round hole”

“You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear” - famous proverbs.

In short, it is what it is. I’ll get to the point. Rumors of our esteemed president, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and his apparent duplicity and self-importance have long been circulating in the Maldivian political sphere. The rustle of leaves and every breeze seem to carry hot gossip between people whenever they meet.

Another saying suggests talking is necessary even if silence is golden. In this case, the government is provoking slander with its nonchalant actions.

Let’s shed light on some of the president’s speeches and behavior during his ongoing trip to the states to attend the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79).

Muizzu sat down for talks with the President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas sporting a Keffiyeh scarf as a symbol to represent his solidarity with the Palestinian people and their cause.

He had a wide grin plastered across his face, as though he was meeting a close friend. His face says, “no one stands up for the rights of Palestinians more than I do”. This, is what he said as well. He told the Palestinian president that he was ready to do “whatever needed” to be done for the people of Palestine.

One can't help but say something, can they? He didn’t proudly wear the Keffiyeh when meeting with other world leaders as part of the trip or when participating and addressing several side events. Why couldn’t he even use the term “genocide” or “Israel” during his interview following the meeting with the Palestinian president? Why was he seen sipping a beverage from ‘Costa Coffee’ mere hours earlier, while transiting on his way there? More importantly, why has he allowed the bill on banning Israeli passports to drag at the People’s Majlis for more than 100 days now while other government-proposed bills have been passed in the blink of an eye?

One can only wonder.

Perhaps our president keeps forgetting that the bill on banning Israeli passports has been collecting dust at the committee of a parliament with his super majority for over 100 days while he’s sporting a Keffiyeh scarf and “showing solidarity” with the Palestinian people all over social media.

He might also have thought the people have forgotten how his government degraded, arrested, and threw two women behind bars for advocating for Palestinian rights. The president may also be under the impression that casually sipping a beverage did not convey a hurtful message to the innocent people of Palestine suffering at the hands of Israel.

If this is not hypocrisy and pretense, we don’t know what is.