Maldives resort tycoons draw fire with endorsement of president

A public endorsement of President Abdulla Yameen’s economic policy from the country’s richest men provoked a fierce reaction last week.

Ahead of the September 23 presidential election, the unprecedented support from the ageing tourism pioneers – who rarely speak to the media or wade into partisan politics – came during a much-publicised panel discussion organised by state television.

On social media, government supporters shared video clips and celebrated the backing of Yameen’s development agenda by the tycoons, even as opposition supporters and leftist youth castigated them over worker’s rights and the vast concentration of wealth at the top.

Aired over two parts on Monday and Tuesday night with several re-runs, the ‘My Nation – My Future’ panel featured Mohamed Umar ‘MU’ Manik, chairman of Universal Enterprises, ‘Champa’ Hussain Afeef, chairman of Crown Company, Ahmed Nazeer, director of Crown Company, construction magnate Mohamed Ali Janah, and Ismail Asif, vice president of the Maldives Chamber of Commerce.