President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has reiterated his commitment to lead a government free of corruption. He made the remark while speaking at the ceremony held to mark this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day.
At the ceremony, President Muizzu said that he would not hesitate to take legal action against anyone in government guilty of corruption and continue his best efforts to raise awareness of corruption. Likewise, the President said that his government's policy lies in full collaboration with all efforts to combat corruption. Shedding light on the theme of International Anti-Corruption Day, Uniting the World against Corruption, he noted that it demonstrated the need for global cooperation in the fight against corruption.
Additionally, President Muizzu called on everyone to begin saying "no" to corruption and highlighted the importance of incorporating the battle against corruption on a national scale. He noted that two individuals are involved in every act of corruption, which are the person who asks for favours and the person who grants them. As such, he implored individuals to stop making requests to ask for things outside the rules and further urged everyone to be obedient, cautious, sincere, and religiously motivated, especially those in positions of authority in the nation.
Furthermore, President Muizzu said that the writings of visitors to the Maldives throughout history show that the ruling class could never extend its power to the courthouse even during the reign of monarchies. He urged every citizen to fight corruption as a national duty to gain the trust of the international community and to strengthen the economy.