Former President Abdulla Yameen has said that President Mohamed Muizzu does not have the authority to sell a portion of Rasmalé to Eagle Hills, asserting that such a decision must be put to a public referendum.
Speaking at a rally hosted by the People’s National Front (PNF) on Thursday night, Yameen argued that if the President intends to sell part of Rasmalé, the matter requires extensive consultation and a nationwide vote to gauge public opinion. He emphasized that a head of state does not possess absolute power to make such unilateral decisions.
"This [selling Rasmalé] is not a right reserved for the President. The President must engage in high-level consultations on such matters. It must be debated in Parliament and discussed within the Cabinet. This isn't a private family home being sold," Yameen said.
"This is not personal inheritance. What is being sold is the future of the Maldivian people. Therefore, the President must take this to a public referendum. This requires a referendum. Without doing so, it seems there is a misconception that assuming office grants a leader total discretion over everything."
Yameen further contended that while the government claims it will have the option to buy back the properties from Eagle Hills once the lease expires, the state will lack the financial capacity to execute such a purchase.
He warned that reclaiming the portion of Rasmalé allocated to Eagle Hills would be an impossible task for any future administration, drawing a parallel to the difficulties faced in reclaiming the national airport from GMR.
The government has indicated that the land in Rasmalé will be leased for 99 years. As current laws do not permit such an arrangement, the administration is working on legislative amendments to facilitate the project. Efforts are currently underway to sign the definitive agreement by November 11.
While the government maintains that Eagle Hills will invest $20 billion into Rasmalé, the company itself has stated its investment will be $12 billion. Its Chairman Mohamed Alabbar later clarified that the $20 billion figure represents the projected total value of the development upon completion.
