MP Nihan claims “no gangs in Maldives” remarks misinterpreted

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Parliamentary Group Leader MP Ahmed Nihan has denied claiming there were no gangs in the Maldives.

Local media had reported Nihan as saying at a PPM gathering on Sunday night (November 16) that there were no gangs in the Maldives and that the government would not allow youth congregating in street corners to be labelled criminal gangs.

“Youth in these small congregations with young blood will have the courage to defend each other. Small things like that will roll over…It’s true, I know while saying this that some incidents have gone beyond bounds,” he was quoted as saying.

Speaking in parliament yesterday, the majority leader accused opposition MPs of twisting his remarks.

“I want to clearly tell the Maldivian people what I said was that every youth in a corner is not a gang member,” he said.

He went on to claim that the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party and former President Mohamed Nasheed should “bear responsibility for all murders in the recent past”.