Ruling party lawmaker buys land in Malé

MP Ibrahim Falah, the deputy parliamentary group leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives, has bought a 1,000 square foot plot of land in Malé for MVR4 million (US$259,403).

The civil court certified the transaction on Thursday and transferred ownership of the Alhadheed house in the Maafanu ward of the capital to Falah from its previous owner Ahmed Rasheed.

After the land purchase made headlines Sunday morning, the MP for the Inguraidhoo constituency in Raa atoll told Raajje TV that people who knew him would not be surprised by the news as he has been working since he was 16.

“It was registered under my name on Thursday and we began construction on Saturday,” he said. “Now I’m thinking of buying a 4,000 square foot plot in Malé next year.”

He told the opposition-aligned station that he owned two safari yachts worth US$1.5 million and US$2 million before he was elected to the People’s Majlis in 2014.

Falah is the owner of Marine Design Maldives, one of the largest boat building companies in the country.

In September, Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muiz confirmed media reports that he bought a row house in Hulhumalé for MVR5.9 million (US$382,600), saying he paid for the property with “halaal money”.