Housing Minister Abdulla Muththalib has said that buyers of properties under the Rasmalé project will not have the option to renew lease terms or acquire permanent ownership of the assets.
The Minister made these remarks in a post on his LinkedIn account, responding to allegations that the Rasmalé project is a scheme intended to settle Israeli citizens in the Maldives.
Muththalib clarified that land or units in Rasmalé will be leased for a specific duration and that no party will be permitted to hold these properties as freehold or private property. He emphasised that the land would remain under the full sovereign control of the Maldivian state.
"No party will have the option to renew the lease period or obtain permanent ownership of the property," Muththalib said.
Acknowledging that public concerns regarding Rasmalé are often linked to the Palestinian cause, Muththalib stated that claims of settling Israeli citizens are baseless fears being propagated without merit.
He explained that the Zionist project aims to relocate Jewish people from other countries to settle within Israel. He further noted that there are no historical precedents globally where foreign nationals purchasing homes in a sovereign, independent nation have led to such an occupation.
Referring to the government's decision to ban Israeli passports, Muththalib argued that it is illogical to suggest the administration would secretly abandon this policy through a real estate transaction. He added that Eagle Hills, the developer of the Rasmalé project, has also committed to complying with Maldivian regulations.
Detailing the measures to ensure the security of Rasmalé, Muththalib said that regulations would be strengthened to prevent any Israeli citizen or entity under Israeli control from participating in any stage of the project. He noted that buyers would be required to declare their nationality, and any provision of false information would result in the termination of the agreement and the seizure of the property by the state.
Furthermore, Muththalib clarified that purchasing property in Rasmalé does not grant permanent residency or citizenship, and the project will always prioritise Maldivians. He stated that the objective is to ensure a significant portion of units in every phase remains accessible for Maldivians to purchase.
Muththalib also mentioned that "ownership caps" would be introduced to prevent any single individual or nationals of a specific country from acquiring an excessive number of properties in Rasmalé.
The Minister concluded his post by highlighting the importance of Maldivian economic self-reliance. He stated that the Maldives can only sustain its firm principles on issues such as Palestine by building a robust and independent domestic economy.
Despite the government's assurances that there are no irregularities surrounding the Rasmalé project, opposition to the development continues to intensify.
