Asset Recovery Bill Aimed at Blackmailing Businesses and Violating Constitutional Rights, Says MP Meekail

Opposition MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem has criticised the government’s proposed asset recovery bill, arguing in Parliament today that the bill is designed to blackmail local business owners and violate fundamental constitutional rights.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the South Galolhu MP representing the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) condemned the Asset Recovery Bill questioning both its timing and intent amidst wider economic challenges.

“Along with what is contained in a bill, the timing of its introduction is equally important. This bill has been introduced at a juncture where [investors] have declared they will never invest in the Maldives again,” Meekail said. “Once the government passes this bill into law, it will not even be able to recover the expenditure incurred to draft it.”

Meekail alleged that the overarching strategy behind the legislation is politically motivated ahead of the next presidential election.

“The objective of this bill is to blackmail Maldivian business owners,” Meekail stated. “Everything is targeted towards winning the 2028 Presidential Election. This is an attempt to suppress talk regarding Ras Malé. Regarding the dollar issue as well, the goal was to pressure business owners to blackmail them.”

He further argued that provisions allowing civil asset forfeiture without a criminal conviction breach key legal protections: “Allowing people’s property to be seized without a conviction being proven is a violation of fundamental rights.”

Sponsored by Central Fuvahmulah MP Ali Fazaad of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), the Asset Recovery proposes far-reaching powers to trace, freeze, and seize property linked to serious criminal activity:

• Allows the Prosecutor General to seek court orders to confiscate assets using the civil standard of proof (“balance of probabilities”) without obtaining a prior criminal conviction.
• Authorises law enforcement to obtain secret court orders to monitor bank accounts for up to three months without notifying account holders.
• Establishes a dedicated authority under the Ministry of Finance within 30 days of enactment to catalogue, value, manage, and dispose of seized assets.

• Applies retrospectively to proceeds linked to money laundering, corruption, drug trafficking, terrorism, tax evasion over MVR 500,000, and major fraud.

In parallel, Parliament is scheduled to debate a complementary Bill to amend the Criminal Procedure Act, sponsored by Funadhoo MP Mohamed Mamdooh, during its next sitting.

The proposed amendments are designed to operate alongside the Asset Recovery Bill and would revise evidence disclosure requirements under Section 130(a)(1). The changes would specifically exempt certain internal agency documents, financial intelligence and investigative strategy materials generated during asset-tracing operations from mandatory disclosure to the defence under Section 129.