Former President Abdulla Yameen has said that the Bank of Maldives (BML) subsidiary, Affordable Home Leasing Pvt Ltd, is a "big crime."

At a rally held by the People's National Front (PNF) on Thursday night, Yameen said BML's entry into the construction sector would muddle the entire system.

“These are not things that the Bank of Maldives can do,” he said.

"These are big crimes. The people of Maldives must think when things reach this level."

Yameen said he wanted the people to get affordable housing, but it should be done through a good system.

"There are ways to do things properly. But everything is done through corruption," he added.

Such crimes will be investigated, he said.

Yameen said President Mohamed Muizzu sees BML and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) as "chickens laying golden eggs." He said that both MACL and BML were carrying out activities not related to their mandate.

Muizzu's government has not started a single housing project in two years.

BML set up Affordable Home Leasing Pvt Ltd amid growing criticism of the government over housing issues. The government is also facing budget issues to implement the projects

The Construction Ministry awarded the contract to the Affordable Home Leasing Pvt Ltd to build 3,000 housing units under the National Housing Scheme's lease-to-own model.