Four bills were introduced to Parliament today, including the Real Estate Bill, which facilitates the transfer of a portion of Fushidhiggaru lagoon—reclaimed under the guise of providing housing for Maldivians—to Eagle Hills, a UAE-based company known for its ties to Israel.
Among the four bills on today’s parliamentary agenda, the legislation concerning the sale of Rasmalé was submitted on behalf of the government by MP Ahmed Aifan of the Henveiru North constituency.
The government also introduced three other bills: the Death Penalty Determination and Execution Bill, submitted by Guraidhoo MP Hannaan Mohamed Rasheed; the Protection of Reputation and Defamation Bill, submitted by Vilimalé MP Mohamed Ismail; and the Maldives Immigration Bill, submitted by Kulhudhuffushi North MP Mohamed Dawood.
While the first reading of these four government-sponsored bills was scheduled for today’s session, the debate on the proposed state budget for the upcoming year is also slated to begin today.
The submission of the bill to sell Rasmalé follows a prior announcement by the government. The intent to introduce such legislation was revealed only after the initial agreement for the sale of Rasmalé had already been signed. President Mohamed Muizzu has said that two weeks will be provided for public consultation on the bill.
Under the agreement, the government has committed to handing over 500 hectares of land from the state-funded Rasmalé reclamation project to Eagle Hills, exempting the company from both acquisition fees and land rent. The state’s only financial gain from the deal will be 10 percent of the revenue from the sale of commercial properties and 4 percent of the revenue from apartment sales in Rasmalé.
The decision to hand over a portion of Rasmalé to Eagle Hills has sparked widespread concern among religious scholars and opposition parties, particularly due to the company’s chairman, Mohamed Alabbar, being linked to Israel. The "National Movement" and the opposition MDP have voiced fears that the project could open the door for non-Muslims to establish residency in the Maldives, prompting calls for a public referendum on the matter.
