A week after the government announced plans to lease half of Rasmalé to a foreign company for 99 years, the Adhaalath Party and Jamiyyath Salaf have stated they are conducting reviews to determine if there are grounds for concern regarding the deal.
Of the 1,010 hectares of land being reclaimed for the Rasmalé project, 500 hectares have been allocated to Eagle Hills. The company has already begun marketing apartments on the island, which are designed to offer permanent residency to foreign tycoons.
A week after the government unveiled the project, Jamiyyath Salaf spokesperson Hassan Fikuree posted on X, stating that the organization is investigating whether the proposed development raises any issues of concern.
"As there appear to be concerns regarding the Maldives Waterfront and Marina project announced by the government for Rasmalé, we wish to inform the public that Jamiyyath Salaf is researching the project by seeking clarification from relevant government authorities and other sources," Fikuree’s post read.
Meanwhile, Adhaalath Party spokesperson Hussain Ansar posted last night, stating that the party is currently gathering necessary information regarding the Rasmalé project, the residency visa scheme, and the township program.
"We assure the public that once authentic information is obtained from the government, if there are any concerns, we will submit them to the relevant institutions to seek appropriate solutions," Ansar stated in his post on X.
The secret agreement to hand over Rasmalé to Eagle Hills was signed last Monday. While the government has not disclosed the full details of the agreement, it has confirmed that the land was leased for 99 years. The allocation was made entirely free of charge, with no lease acquisition cost or rent.
Despite facing intense public criticism over the deal, the government has attempted to frame the transaction as a beneficial move. Officials claim the land was leased under the same general principles used for resort developments and argue that the investment will generate revenue for the Maldives.
However, critics—including those supporting a case filed by MP Ali Hussain—maintain that the legal framework and the specific criteria under which this land was granted remain unclear.
