Housing Minister Warns Public Against Flat and Land Scams Amid Extortion Allegations

Housing Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib has urged the public not to fall victim to scams involving promises of flats and land in exchange for money, following allegations that millions of rufiyaa have been extorted from individuals through fraudulent housing schemes.

Speaking during a parliamentary sitting today, Muththalib said there was no legitimate way to obtain government housing or land by paying money or using personal connections, stressing that all allocations would be carried out strictly under existing regulations.

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His remarks come after former Deputy Minister of Fisheries Mohamed Yasin was dismissed from his post over allegations that he extorted money from people by promising access to government flats and land.

“You can see that there are already scams taking place. People holding positions, even within the government, have allegedly used those positions to extort money from the public,” Muththalib said.

“I have also seen reports suggesting that even judges have become caught up in these cases,” he added.

The minister appealed to the public not to trust anyone claiming they could secure housing or land in return for payment.

“Please do not get caught up in anyone offering you flats or land for money. You will not receive them,” he said.

Muththalib reiterated that the allocation of housing and land would be conducted in accordance with established rules and procedures, adding that public confidence in the system depended on preventing such fraudulent practices.

During the question-and-answer session, Central Mahchangolhi constituency MP Ahmed Xamyr, referring to a question submitted by a constituent, claimed that the minister could not fully understand the housing challenges faced by people born in Malé because neither he nor his parents were originally from the capital.

Responding to the remarks, Muththalib said he had lived in Malé since the age of 12 and had experienced the city’s housing difficulties firsthand.

“Although I am not originally from Malé, I have lived here since I was 12 years old and, like many others, have moved from one house to another. I understand the difficult housing situation in Malé,” he said.

The minister also stressed the importance of providing accurate information when discussing housing eligibility, noting that the government’s housing registry includes three recognised categories: native-born Malé residents, individuals who were added to the Malé register after initially being registered elsewhere, and those registered under the later Malé category.

Elsewhere in Monday’s parliamentary sitting, Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir presented a resolution concerning alleged politically motivated dismissals from government employment.

The debate became heated as government-aligned MPs rejected the allegations, insisting that no employees had been dismissed on political grounds.

Baarashu MP Ibrahim Shujau said he could not support the resolution, arguing that there was no evidence to support its claims.

“This is not a resolution that ensures any young person loses their job, and I do not support it because we cannot accept any citizen being unfairly dismissed,” Shujau said.

The parliamentary session was eventually adjourned by Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla following the heated exchanges.