Former Vice President of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Shifaz has sharply criticized the government for submitting a budget to the People’s Majlis without any details, arguing that it is being pushed through to allow President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to govern with members of parliament who act as servants seeking his benevolence.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s ‘Fala Surukhee’ programme, Shifaz described the absence of accountability as the greatest loss to the nation during the government’s two years in power, pointing specifically to the disappearance of more than MVR 100 billion from the state budgets of those two years.

Shifaz stressed that even as the upcoming year’s budget is being passed, it lacks clarity on projects allocated to specific islands in a way that would hold the administration accountable. He asserted that the budget is intentionally structured this way to enable the president to rely on parliamentarians who act in complete submission to him.

Addressing the MVR 64.2 billion budget submitted for approval for the coming year, Shifaz highlighted that over MVR 100 billion had already been passed across the previous two years. He claimed that not a single stone had been laid on any island using that funding, and that even the projects underway when the current government came to power have since been halted.

While the fate of more than MVR 100 billion remains uncertain, Shifaz argued that what the public witnesses instead are scenes of Muizzu and the Vice President traveling to the same island in separate air taxis at significant cost merely to inaugurate a futsal pitch, which he described as a clear example of wasteful spending.

Beyond this alleged misuse of state funds, Shifaz accused Muizzu of taking money from the state treasury to distribute among members of parliament and conceal in various places. He maintained that regardless of the severity of these accusations, the president would not launch an investigation, insisting the misconduct is being carried out openly.

Shifaz said the largest budgets in the nation’s history have been passed under this government, yet the public remains deeply concerned that as each year’s budget is exhausted, no adequate development projects have been initiated anywhere in the country. He argued that by withholding key details from the budget and subjugating members of parliament, Muizzu is attempting to convince the public that every promise he makes will be fulfilled.