Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair has said that the government has decided to shut down all the massage parlors in the Maldives and is considering banning the trade of alcohol and pork throughout the Maldives in response to demands made by protestors on December 23.
‘’The government has decided to take urgent measurements to fulfill the demands,’’ Zuhair said. “There are five demands made after raising voice in the name of protecting Islam.’’
Zuhair said one of the demands was to close massage parlors and spas, as there have been accusations that prostitution is conducted widely in these locales.
‘’Therefore the government has decided to close every massage parlor and spa in the Maldives,’’ he said. ‘’Those places are not operated with a special permission from the government, but the government has now begun inspecting those places.’’
Addressing the demand to disallow Israeli flights to land in the Maldives, he said the government has tried to commence operations of any flight only for the purpose of tourism, for the benefit of the citizens and for the benefit of businessman in the tourism sector.
‘’When tourists want to come they will first book the resort before booking the airline and if the resorts cancel their bookings they will not come to the Maldives and the airline will stop operations because it cannot run the business if there won’t be any passenger to travel,’’ he said adding that the situation was in the hands of tourism businessman.
Referring to the demand made to remove all the SAARC monuments placed in Addu, he said under the decentralization plan, the decision rests with the Addu City Council.
‘’The government will not obstruct any decision made by the council to remove those monuments.’’
‘’Next is [UN High Commissioner for Human Rights] Navi Pillay’s remarks made in parliament, according to the President during the meeting she held with the President she did not mention anything that a Muslim would resist,’’ Zuhair said. ‘’The parliament is the one that has said anything in response to comments made by her in parliament, because the meeting with parliament was not organized by the government.’’
Trade of alcohol, Zuhair said, is not a business conducted by the government. He added that the government receives a relatively large amount of money through this trade from Goods and Services Tax (GST).
‘’The businessman running the trade of alcohol receives a huge amount of profit through this business as well,’’ he said. ‘’The government is now considering banning trade of alcohol and pork throughout the Maldives.’’
Only 200 people live in some less populous islands, but 400-500 citizens live in the tourist resorts, he pointed out.
Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahlouf today said no matter what Zuhair said the government will not have the courage to ban the trade of alcohol in the resorts.
‘’It is all lies made by the government to mislead the citizens,’’ Mahlouf said.
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Alcohol ban, eh?
I guess the PPM hates deodorants - that's why they stink.
Oh well, no loss; I'll be the one profiting when I become the sole distributor for perfume, shampoo and deodorants in Talibandives.
Oh no, I wouldn't dream of inflating the prices. That's just unfair to both me and the people.
very well done Mr.President. he is a political mastermind.
Also President should dissolve the Islamic Ministry and he should be responsible for all islamic affairs. He has to if as long as we pretend this is 100%muslim country and all laws and everything we do is dictated by religion.
the problem is Anni once he came to power announced he will leave religion to scholars and gave them the ministry. while everything in this country was about religion. ANNI thought Maldivian people wanted development and progeress while keeping religion as their social values and spiritual guidance. but that was not the case, because when we predent we are 100%muslim and nothing goes unchecked by religious authority, the country basically is handed over and ruled by whoever is the authority on religion. Anni (president) and his GVT then becomes the laughing stock of the nation and a mere puppy of islamic ministry...
Its strange how they impose religion on everyone and yet they only have the authority over it. If this is 100%muslim nation, every citizen should be a scholar, because everyone needs to know the truth and fulfill a good life before death. We SHOULD NOT give a handful of mullahs the authority of religion.
The Govt. is behaving like a spoiled child. Every one knows that an 'inhabited island' is defined clearly in the Census. Similarly a tourist resort is defined an an 'industrial island' regardless of how many employees live there. God, the utter ignorance of the Press Secretary! These sorts of press statements only makes you lot sound not only more inept and incapable than ever, but also stupid and immature. Grow up, Press Secretary!
I also agree with the silly haabees that Anni is not doing the right thing this time. Although I and my fellow kaafir friends do need alcohol like the haabees drink tea, banning these products from the country would not be practicable.
However much I hate Islam and haabees I am not afraid to speak the truth. The truth is that its prohibited for Muslims to sell and serve alcohol. So here is my idea. Why can't Anni give the contract to me or moyameeha or any of us of the kaafir gang to import and deal with these banned stuff? We can make good money and the Muslims can enjoy their halal economy no? what do you guys think?
Mashallah! I think the government is finally on the right track! There are some more things I would like the Walliyyul Amr to do, which includes banning all Jews from entering the Maldives, and girls should only be allowed to learn the quran, and nothing else. According to the sunnah,there will be more women than men in hell, and therefore, even without Western Jewish education, if they can remain pious and go to heaven, then what have we really got to lose?
Alhamdulillah, and I hope this would be implemented asap.
Wonder where is Foreign Minister Kaafaru Naseem
@yaamyn
My boy I am fairly certain that no one at last Friday's gathering called for chopping hands, circumcising girls or killing Jews. In fact that was a list of diversionary statements issued by the President himself. Like I said I've been around longer than you have and no government can actually survive a popular revolt. Nasheed spelled his own doom and no amount of "clever" antics by his government or his Press Secretary will save the MDP from its ultimate ruin.
Perhaps concern for the people is a concept you find hard to swallow. Then leave altruism. We are all concerned about government instability and incapability. It affects businesses, investments and personal as well as social development. Nasheed is done for. Your concern is mainly for an ideal that the Maldivian public is not yet ready to swallow. An ideal that is propagated as a universal value by the Western media as well as predominantly Western discourse.
I am not surprised at your vim and vigor. The production you make is sponsored by the government and the MDP through their businesses. You have an interest in speaking in defense of your financial gains. So please continue. It does not change the fact that Nasheed's clock is ticking.
@Shahidha:
Democracy is not the issue here. We are a long way away from any form of democracy in this country. Take State expenditure for example. The government speaks of reducing wastage and corruption while deliberately resisting attempts by the Auditor General, Anticorruption Commission or Parliament to carry out their roles as monitoring bodies.
I would have accepted your argument if you had said Nasheed is a decent politician. However the MDP as a political party is one of the weakest institutions in the country. Except for the hardcore elements most members have lost confidence in the MDPs ability to deliver.
Hypocrites killing each other for some papers that has some kind of drawing which is very important and expensive to human being 😀
:/
tsk tsk,
"concern for people"
Rich coming from you. The rest of your comment is the usual balderdash I've come to expect from you. Save your faux outrage, and opportunistic "concern".
Zuahir is not serious! How can anything be banned anymore. Look at the drugs which is traded freely. The only solution is to set everybody free in the true sense of the word.
ALHAMDHU LILLAH.
PRAISE BE TO GOD AND PROPHET MUHAMMAD (S.A.A.W), THIS DAY IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. IT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SHALL TEAR THE HARAAM VEIL OVER OUR ISLAM NATION FOR 3 DECADES.
CLEAN THE FILTH OF FOREIGN REASON FROM ITS LAND AND ISLANDS. SHOW US THAT RIGHTEOUS PATH IS NOT IN GREED FOR PROFIT FROM HARAAM ENTERPRISE BUT IN THE TRUE PATH OF GOD UNTO HEAVEN. SUBHAANALLAH SUBHAANALLAH
PRAISE BE TO OUR PRESIDENT. PRAISE MUHAMMED NASHEED FOR TAKING THE FIRST STEP.
You are going on the wrong direction. Tourists are not friends, they are clients and will go to the places they consider more suitable for them. Don't expecte any comorehension from them. You are carving your own dificulties. If the international travel agencies community decides Maldives is no longer "the last paradise" they will market other geographies and you will go back to fishing. Be carefull of not overdoing it and don't loose your mind with extremism.
THE TRUE MUNAFIQS, THE TRUE HYPOCRITES ARE THE ONES THAT SELL AND CONSUME ALCOHOL, PORK AND RECEIVE PLEASURE OF ZINEY FRM BODY OF WOMEN IN OUR ISLAMIC NATION.
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. DONT STAND WITH US AND BE GUILTY OF BEING A MUNAFIQ,
GO CLEAN YOUR HANDS OF THE FILTH, GO CLEAN YOUR MIND FROM YOUR SELFISH REASONING. THE ISLAMIC NATION WILL RISE FROM THE DUST AND INSHA ALLAH 2013, WE WILL WIN THIS FIGHT AND GIVE BIRTH TO A PURE MALDIVIAN ISLAMIC NATION.
This place is full of Roanu Adhuru’s. I want to be one as well. I say you all are wrong. This is not democracy. If government is serious, put the alcohol, pork and spa ban to a referendum. See which side does Gasim, Yameen, Maumoon, Mullahs with resorts and even MDP will campaign. We may have national unity. Allah knows best.
tsk tsk - you have some good points actually, but honestly, look at the alternative. They are willing to go back 4000 years for power. The previous regime their corruption is a far worse alternative.
On the 22nd, the President launched free national health reform. That is what we need, a govt. that helps every-one. I think Anni will do it - he is a strong man.
agree with Mr. Antonio. The govt is playing the religious card to everyone's disadvantage. The problem is they do not see it coming.
If you touch the religious card you will burn! This goes in any society and with any religion.
@ Ahmed Deeds on Wed, 28th Dec 2011 12:05 AM....HAHAha well said man.
drinking whisky
Where are the cowards in MATI? And where is MATATO now the government ban will hit all resorts not just their benefactor gasim? And above all, why is Adhaalath so quiet??? Shouldnt they be praising this to the heavens?
400-500 living in resorts MR. Spokesperson says!!!
Uninhabited become inhabited cos of these people working...!!!
So if this is applied, every resort needs to have a council too!!!
Hypocrites! Let alone the demands be fulfilled!! Stop mocking
These people talk as if the selling of alcohol and the profit from thereof as a "Rizq" from the All Mighty. And are so fearful that the loss from the banning of alcohol will have a finaincial loss that cannot be be pledged by any other means. After all Buruma Gasim also claims that All Mighty bestowed on him all the profit from the sale of alcohol and managing of spas. Mall All Mighty belss the buisnesses of Mr. Buruma including the several Bars that he operates. Are we all san!!!!
@tsk tsk
Whilst you are raising points that I definitely agree with, I find your selective religiousness as hypocritical as most of the Dec23 anti-MDP speakers.
Gasim said "We don’t know there is a moderate, higher or lower Islam. We only know Islam, which is above all the religion. The only road we must follow is based of Allah’s callings,” so that means black or white (no grey) and includes everything that comes with it, including female circumcision, chopping hands, a total ban on alcohol and a lot of other things.
Don't agree? Than you are no better than the people you keep accusing. Think about it.
I am no fan of Anni or Juha for that matter, but sometimes you need to lose everything in order to realize how much you actually had. I support putting a no-alcohol proposal onto the Majlis floor. It'll never pass, but at least some of the MPs will be forced to show their true intentions to the public.
Error in first comment.
The Ruling on Sale of Alcohol & Prk, and like thereof is this>
If no >profitbuying price>profiting<< from direct sales of these items. It would mean we are simply trading in these items, we are Not doing business with it- par definition this holds true (consider the meanings of trading). If however a Profit is added to the Selling Price, then we are profiting from the sale of these goods. And This is ha'raam. So Yes what is happening today is har'aam ( because in so far as I know, Profit deduction is not their in buying/selling of pork and alcohol; meaning it is extremely possible there is profit, direct, in it's sale. Thus it should be banned in it's present form). If however the provisions in such trading are corrected as I have stated, then it can be allowed. Albeit a regrettable allowance it would still remain (allowable nonetheless).
Note- Even if after profit is removed from it's sales [Alcohol/ Pork] If we are profiting 'indirectly' from tourism because of the super-added effect of the availability of pork and alcohol in resorts(it gives a boost to the business of tourism) and how it helps Business Growth- such indirect effects while cannot commend on papers, it is no matter. Of course an ideal would be complete absence of pork and alcohol irrespective of profit inclusions/exclusions- yet an ideal is a working progress (never fully achievable), and Deen is tolerant, moderate and not meant to be difficult. Therefore it is not wrong to have such provisos within the industry so long as we choose non-profit within it's availability (irrespective of it's secondary effects on favorable business outcomes).
It is only fitna which says It is Alcohol and pork that is the bulwark of our economy. It is not. Tourism is. And Tourism has within it alcohol and pork, which contributes "indirectly" to it's profit. Thus this contention while we cannot fully absolve, we may give allowance within Islam, If we remove profit from it's direct sales. This small script renders it a negligible transgression.
Therefore for now, it is right to say All such sales should be banned, till this provision I have stated, is allowed into effect.
Chuck the above two comments- some error is preventing full comment publishing (only part of the comment is seen)
thanks
It is true that we Maldivian are not ready for democracy. We clearly don't understand how it works, and we lack the experience and tools to maintain one.
It is even more tragic that religion is being used to grab power, while crushing the very rights the democratic movement was meant to restore/protect. This jailing of bloggers, this filtering of science websites, this fighting to protect the degradation and inhumane treatment of women (flogging), this irrational notion that oppressing thoughts and beliefs is advancing God's will, this incitement to hate what is different. How pathetically predictable and pedestrian.
Give children who lack education and common sense choices, and they will make decisions that are instantaneously gratifying, but impractical, and sometimes downright dangerous every time.
What have we chosen to do with our new-found freedoms and space? We have chosen to give power to a bunch of blind, uneducated, religious bigots to lead us into the future. Anything to avoid digging our heels in and becoming independent, active citizens, that must think for themselves.
Tsk Tsk,
I'm surprised, that being older you are not all that wiser than us young 'uns.
Let's see, agreeing hypothetically with your accusations of economic mismanagement; which is more dangerous? A tanking economy or fanning the flames islamic fundamentalism?
And seriously, nobody, certainly not I, really cares about Anni, he is but a means to an end.
'Observer', you make some very good points. I wish educators would think like you and try and teach students to be responsible and respectful and think for themselves without manipulation and the use of fear and threat which is what we have here. I already see people around me and my family making very poor decisions by all these manipulations from politicians, teachers and religious advisers.