The President of the Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, has stated that the Maldives will operate under the rule of law, and in this governance, those who commit crimes will face severe punishments without discrimination. He said this during his speech while meeting with the residents of F. Nilandhoo as part of his current tour to F. Atoll. Speaking at the ceremony held to meet the people of Nilandhoo, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that the drug issue is a very serious problem facing the Maldives. He added that there has never been an effective effort to solve this problem, and that in such cases, different approaches have been taken for different individuals.
“You will see that a person who smuggled 130 kilos of drugs into the country has been arrested through our system, brought before the law, and has now been sentenced by the judiciary. In the past, in such matters, the government system has always leaned back. Whether it’s the police or anyone else, they would treat the person differently based on who they are,” the President said. However, he stated that strict measures will be taken against those who commit such crimes. He also mentioned that relevant laws are being amended to further strengthen the handling of drug-related cases, and that this bill might be submitted to the parliament very soon.
“So, we will continue to work on resolving issues in this manner. We will work sincerely. Similarly, with the issue of gangs. A law related to that has also been ratified and has come into effect,” the President said. He emphasized that all these laws will be enforced without discrimination. “We are running a government of law. Rule of law. All Maldivian citizens are equal before me. All citizens are of equal status. There is no difference between anyone. Therefore, we will govern in a way that the law is enforced equally for all citizens,” the President stated.
The President said that such issues can only be resolved through collaborative efforts from all parties. He also highlighted the importance of public cooperation in solving such social issues.
