Solih says government spends MVR 4.8 billion on salaries but lacks public support

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said Thursday that although the government spends MVR 4.8 billion annually on public‑sector salaries, it still lacks broad public support.

Speaking at a rally in Addu, Solih criticised the government’s push to hold the presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day, saying the administration is justifying the move by claiming it will save around MVR 50 million.

Solih said the previous administration spent about MVR 900 million per month on salaries in its final year, while the current government spends around MVR 400 million per month — amounting to MVR 4.8 billion a year. If the government is serious about reducing expenditure, he said, it should begin by addressing salary‑related spending.

With elections approaching, political parties and candidates are actively campaigning. Solih said President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s policies no longer enjoy public backing, claiming “not one in a hundred” supports the government.

His remarks come as former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and the opposition MDP continue efforts to stop the April 4 referendum. The PNF has filed a civil suit, while MDP lawyers submitted two constitutional cases to the Supreme Court. One case was dismissed, and the other has already been heard and decided.