Attorney General (AG) Ahmed Usham said during a meeting with religious scholars that hotels in Rasmale' could be permitted to sell alcohol with the necessary licenses. This contradicts previous assurances from President Mohamed Muizzu, who maintained that alcohol would be strictly prohibited and unavailable for consumption within the development.
In leaked audio recordings of the meeting, Usham explained that Rasmale' will be developed as a separate island. He noted that, similar to Maldivian resorts, hotels established there could conduct alcohol trade by obtaining the appropriate licenses.
He clarified that the sale of alcohol would not be entirely banned within the restaurants of designated hotels.
"This means that [alcohol will not be sold] generally, except in certain hotels designated by the government. For example, it is not the case that alcohol cannot be sold in a restaurant within a somewhat limited hotel. This is already common practice in Maldivian resorts," Usham said.
Furthermore, Usham stated that Maldivians would not have access to these services and emphasised that, in accordance with the law, alcohol cannot be sold to Maldivians.
While the Attorney General indicated that alcohol sales could be permitted in Rasmale’s hotels, he provided assurances that no casinos would be built as part of the project. He added that no activities violating the Constitution or the laws of the Maldives would be allowed.
However, speaking previously on the President’s Office "Nation Chat" program, Muizzu asserted that no alcohol-related transactions would take place in Rasmale'. He claimed that the regulations there would be even stricter than those governing resorts, reiterating that alcohol would neither be sold nor consumed on the premises.
Muizzu had also previously pledged to ensure the prohibition of alcohol in Rasmale' through legislative measures. He noted that the area would attract a Muslim clientele and that people seeking a different lifestyle would not be drawn to the development.
The government is currently working to lease a significant portion of the Rasmale' project—reclaimed from Fushidhiggaru lagoon—to a company owned by UAE businessman Mohamed Alabbar on a long-term basis.
As the project opens up to foreign investors, significant concerns have been raised by the public and religious scholars regarding the preservation of Islamic principles within the development.
