Male’ – Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President Abdulla Shahid has launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing it of using the Privatisation Board as a cover to dismiss MDP members and reform-minded citizens from their jobs across the country without restraint.

In a post on social media, Shahid alleged that the government is carrying out these dismissals in a calculated scheme to distribute jobs to PNC (People’s National Congress) activists and thereby entrench itself in power. He described the practice as being conducted “without any measure or restraint.”

Shahid characterised the dismissals as a “cruel crime” being committed at a time when the economy is weakening and the value of the dollar has soared to unprecedented levels, leaving countless citizens destitute and pushing families into ruin.

“I call on the government to immediately halt this practice, to put an end to the wasteful and corruption-ridden distribution of political jobs, to save public funds, and to relieve citizens from the fear of job insecurity,” Shahid said.

The MDP President further affirmed that the party will stand in defence of every citizen who faces such injustice. He also gave the assurance that under an MDP government, those who have been unjustly dismissed from their jobs will be compensated.

These criticisms come at a time when complaints have been mounting over a growing number of employees being dismissed from state-owned companies in recent weeks.