President Abdulla Yameen has nominated a family member of a state official implicated in corrupt transactions worth US$6million for the post of Auditor General (AG).
Nominee Hassan Ziyath is the brother of Managing Director of state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Abdullah Ziyath.
In a damning audit report on October 29, incumbent AG Niyaz Ibrahim accused Abdulla Ziyath of illegally pushing through a US$6million loan from state funds to two private companies.
The report was released a day after ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MPs brought a surprise amendment to the Audit Act requiring the reappointment of Auditor General within 30 days. The President’s Office opened up applications for the position immediately.
Niyaz has only served three years of his seven-year term.
The PPM holds a majority in parliament with 43 of the total 85 MPs, while coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance controls five seats.
Hassan Ziyath is currently the chairman of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC). He contested in March’s parliamentary elections for Malé’s Hulhuhenveiru constituency on the PPM ticket.
The MMPRC audit also implicated Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb of involvement in the corrupt transactions and said the loans were issued to companies owned by Adeeb’s family members.
Adeeb has condemned the report as politically motivated, and accused Niyaz of colluding with MP and former Deputy Speaker of Majlis Ahmed Nazim to discredit him after he refused to back Nazim for the Majlis Speakership in May.
In an interview with newspaper Haveeru, Niyaz dismissed Adeeb’s claims and accused Adeeb of threats and harassment following the Auditor General’s decision to look into the case.
The independent AG position was created in 2008 and vested with the power to audit all state offices, institutions funded by the state, and companies in which the state owns shares.
The auditor general’s position receives a salary equivalent to the president’s salary, currently MVR100,000.
The country’s first independent Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem was sacked by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s former party Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) in 2010 for allegedly using state funds to buy a tie and visit Baa Atoll Thulhadhoo Island. Gayoom currently heads the PPM.
During the multiparty elections of 2008, Naeem had published several audit reports revealing high levels of corruption within Gayoom’s government.
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How does the alleged crimes of one brother reflect the true character of another? Are we to be judged based on what our family members does or doesn't do? Do we not deserve to be known for our own capabilities. A lot of families in Maldives has at least one member who is addicted to drugs, does that mean if another member is nominated for a job, that person is also to be painted as a drug addict?
This would have been a better read had it focused on the qualifications of Hassan Ziyath and who others think would be a better choice for such a position. This smear campaign does little for the integrity of minivan news.
This is the kind of corruption that foreign investors look at when deciding if it's worth the risk of doing business with a bunch of liars and thieves.
@FATHIN
We arnt electing a supervisor for road cleaning.But we are talking about the Auditor General of this country.Hehe,what auditor general isn't it.Even Somalia and Saudi Arabia doesn't have an auditor general.Its not an Islamic thing isn't it.This guy was a ppm candidate for the ppm bi election and still he is fit to be the auditor general.May be muthalib,ilham,riyaz rasheed and thimarafushee musthafaa will buy your argument
@Hero
where are you.You must be euphoric isn't it
Yes everyone is innocent until proven guilty. You cannot blame journalists for highlighting a very irregular action by the president.
The post of Auditor General is one of the most responsible jobs in the country, arguably even more so than that of the President with an equal salary. When that is the case bringing in a family member of someone already embroiled in allegations of corruption is totally unacceptable in a democratic society. But then again we DO NOT live in a democratic society do we?
Asluves MVR 100,000 libeytha Auditor General ah?
@Ali. We need to talk about the corruption and millions of dollars GMR had given to Nasheed and also million given for his campaign.
MDP and Nasheed is the best people talk about corruption.
Nasheed brother was given millions of dollars received through environment funds from abroad , does this need to treat as a corruption.
Addu convention center was build for over a billion mrf, and MDP thugs and Nasheed and his associates had taken 60% of this cost as thier cut. Does this account as a corruption.
Birds of a feather flock together...
Person who should hold the office of AG (or any other position of supreme independence and responsibility) should not have a shadow of doubt about their character much less be tainted with conflicts of interest, bias and questionable motivations. Are we not even going to pretend that corporate governance, public policy or atleast morality needs to be considered here?
I question his character and judgement if he thinks he is eligible for such a position where his brother is what he is. If this is an act to clear his family's name, its a ridiculous act as that can only be achieved in this manner by making fools of all the citizens. Because that's what we'll all be if we can allow a person connected to an alleged corrupt person in the middle of an investigation (is that still going on or has it been squashed?) to take the office of AG! Long live morality!