News Desk
The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is heading into a high-stakes showdown, as over 60 members of its National Council signed a petition forcing an emergency meeting on Sunday evening to settle an increasingly bitter internal split over the government’s handing of prime land to a Dubai-based developer.
The political feud centres on a controversial agreement by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration to hand over 500 hectares of the newly reclaimed Rasmalé site to Eagle Hills, a United Arab Emirates real estate firm chaired by prominent businessman Mohamed Alabbar. Details surrounding the transaction remain exceptionally sketchy, but the arrangement—offering vast tracts of land for luxury housing, marinas, and commercial developments without competitive bidding or an acquisition fee—has thrown the MDP leadership into disarray.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed has publicly defended the venture, warning that opposing foreign investment risks inflicting lasting harm on the nation’s economic credibility and calling on the party to maintain its previous pro-business stand. Conversely, former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and numerous National Council members have voiced sharp opposition, insisting that high-value state property should never be transferred behind closed doors without transparent tender processes.
The deal has also drawn fierce resistance beyond the main opposition line. Sheikh Imran Abdulla, the former Home Minister and leader of the Adhaalath Party—who social media reports indicate was until recently based in rural Thailand running a restaurant—has spearheaded the “Dhivehin’ge Bin Dhivehin’nah” (Maldivian Land for Maldivians) campaign movement to mobilize public pushback against the concession.
Amid the mounting pressure, Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Abdulla Muththalib publicly defended the project at a conference in Hulhumalé in Saturday, maintaining that the arrangement remains vital for the country’s economic strategy.
Contextualising 500 Hectares.
To understand the scale of allocating 500 hectares (approx. 1,235 acres or 5 square kilometres) in the Greater Malé Region:
- Larger than Malé itself: The capital city of Malé spans roughly 2.0 sq km (approx. 200 hectares). A 500-hectare concession is two and a half times the size of Malé.
- Larger than Hulhumalé (Phase 1 & Phase 2 combined): Hulhumalé, the country’s primary artificial island project developed over decades, covers approximately 4.0 sq km (400 hectares). The land handed to Eagle Hills exceeds the entire footprint of Hulhumalé.
- National Context: In a island nation where naturally occurring dry land is exceptionally scarce and most natural islands average less than 1 sq km, a single 500-hectare parcel represents one of the largest continuous land allocations ever granted to a single private entity in modern Maldivian history.
Key Takeaways
- MDP Rift at Centre Stage: More than 60 National Council members demanded an extraordinary meeting to resolve severe internal conflict between factions supporting former President Nasheed (pro-investment continuity) and former President Solih (transparency and competitive standards).
- Sketchy Terms for Reclaimed Land: The deal grants 500 hectares of existing reclaimed land at Rasmalé to UAE’s Eagle Hills for luxury housing and marina developments without an open tender or acquisition fee.
- Scale of the Grant: At 500 hectares (5 sq km), the area granted exceeds the combined physical size of Malé and Hulhumalé.
