Government aligned lawmaker MP Ibrahim Falaah has responded to criticism over the state’s delay in granting opposition leader Qasim Ibrahim with medical leave abroad, by questioning his character.

At a Progressive Party of Maldives rally on Monday, Falaah said that Qasim Ibrahim is a business magnate, who was only charitable in order to garner support for his bid for presidency.

Falaah, who is also deputy leader of the party’s parliamentary group, said that Qasim is now backing a particular potential candidate in order to ‘expand his own business interests’.

“He has tried to bolster this image, make himself out to be philanthropist” Falaah said “He has talked about having funded kidney transfers for people, is this really kindness? Or selfish attempt to promote oneself”.

Falaah went on to say that Qasim’s decision to support the opposition had also been financially motivated, adding that the current administration refused to allow him to make unjust profits.

“Look at the Villa International Airport, that was given to him by a former president for a period of 100 years. It is because he cannot gain benefits like these that he is opposing us” Falaah continued.

He said that Qasim has always worked to expand his businesses, no matter which administration ruled and that his political decisions have always been based on that.