MACL’s alleged employment of people who don’t do any actual work faces Parliament scrutiny

A lawmaker from the Parliament has filed a motion seeking to have top officials from the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) summoned for questioning regarding allegations the company employs dozens of individuals who don’t do any actual work or even report to work, and pays sponsorship money to obscure media outlets.

In a letter addressed to Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla on Wednesday, Kanditheemu MP Ameen Faisal stressed the high public concern regarding the allegation that MACL spends MVR 2.4 million monthly on political appointees who do not even report to work, as well as the documents supporting these allegations.

Ameen said that MACL’s spending on individuals who do not do any work will increase the company’s operational cost and reduce profits, which in turn will affect the dividend it pays the government.

“This is a huge indirect burden on the state’s finances,” he wrote.

Ameen also said that MACL has also reportedly been spending heavily monthly on certain media outlets, many of them obscure, in the name of ramping up promotion.

He said that he does not see any justification for this increased spending on promotion, with the MACL unable to expand operations to meet the demand for flights at Velana International Airport.

“This is not political. I see this as a blatant attempt to misuse public funds,” said Ameen, stating that such acts are in violation of the Constitution, the Penal Code, Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Public Finances Act, and Employment Act.

Ameen warned that it is not just the individuals getting paid who must be held accountable for the misuse of public funds, but also the people who facilitate it.

He asked for top officials from MACL to be summoned to the relevant parliamentary committee for an inquiry into the allegations.

A list of 85 people, purportedly of political appointees employed by MACL who President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu intends to fire, was leaked via anonymous X account ‘Hassan Kurusee’ on April 10. It includes influential figures, including former parliamentarians.

The MACL has not made any official comment regarding the list.

However, senior MACL employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirm some of the people on the list are on the company’s payroll.

When questioned about this during his weekly press briefing on Monday, President Muizzu said he had not received any such list.