Tag: alcohol

President receives thousand-letter appeal for ban on alcohol sale

Over a thousand letters requesting a ban on the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands were submitted to the president’s office today by a coalition of NGOs campaigning against revised regulations to grant liquor licenses to tourist hotels.

Speaking to press outside the president’s office, Mauroof Zakir, spokesperson for the coalition, said the NGOs had decided to send a letter to the president and create a petition.

“These are only the letters we got in a short period of time,” he said. “It’s not just from the civil society associations, but from the public who are not involved in the associations.”

He added the members of the public who sent the letters wanted to show that they did not want alcohol sold in inhabited islands.

“The letter mainly notes the dangers of selling alcohol in inhabited islands and [is intended] to show that the public does not support this,” he said.

He said the NGOs did not believe the government has listened to their concerns.

Revised regulations

Queuing up
Queuing up

Last month, the ministry of trade and economic development revised regulations on the use and import of alcohol to authorise its sale in tourist hotels with 100-beds in inhabited islands.

But the regulations were withdrawn shortly afterwards, following a public outcry and opposition from the Islamic ministry.

The regulations were sent to a parliamentary committee for advice and consultation, which has since approved it.

Meanwhile, a bill proposed by Independent MP Ibrahim Muttalib to ban the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands was rejected by parliament, with MPs arguing it was unconstitutional as it would indirectly authorise its sale.

Article 10(b) of the constitution states no law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be made or enacted.

The economic development ministry has argued that the regulations were revised to revoke over 800 liquor permits to expatriates, which has created a black market for alcohol in the capital Male’.

The permits will be revoked in favour of allowing the sale of alcohol to foreigners under strict supervision, they said.

Under the regulations, hotels with over 100 beds would be allowed to have a bar that is not visible from outside and would only serve foreigners.

Furthermore, it will be illegal to keep alcohol in mini-bars at the hotels on inhabited islands or sell it anywhere apart from the hotel’s main bar.

Maldivians cannot be employed at the bar and all employees of the bar must be registered with the economic development ministry after a police check.

An inventory of the alcohol in storage and daily sales must be maintained and made available to police on their request, while CCTV cameras must be mounted in the storage room at the hotel.

The people’s representatives

Mauroof Zakir
Mauroof Zakir

Speaking to Minivan News today, Mohamed Zuhair, president’s office press secretary, said MPs on the parliamentary committee would have taken the religious implications of the regulations into consideration and the NGOs should respect the will of the people.

“We always respond to letters that are sent to the president’s office,” he said. “But, while we respect the NGOs, they too have to respect the decision of the people, and that is the decision of the People’s Majlis,” he said.

Zakir said parliament rejected a bill on outlawing the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands by “making excuses and misleading the people”.

“But, we learned that the regulations were withdrawn on the order of President Nasheed when it was first publicised,” he said. “We believe President Nasheed will do this on the request of citizens to fulfill his campaign pledge to close all doors to drugs and that he will he will close this door as well.”

Sheikh Ali Zahir, a member of the fiqh academy, said the letters were “very respectfully” drafted and “begs” the president to not enforce the regulations.

“We hope that we will get a good reaction and that he will give a response,” he said. “We hope very much that he will fully respond to our appeal to protect the beloved Muslim communities of the Maldives.”

The coalition now includes over 80 NGOs and associations, he said.

Zahir said the coalition believes the “majority” of Maldivians would support the appeal as Maldivians are 100 per cent Muslim.

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Four arrested in brewing bust

An alcohol brewing operation conducted by four people has been discovered in Seenu Hithadhoo by police.

According to police, the four brewers were conducting the operation in an abandoned house on Hithadhoo. Police were alerted to the operation after receiving a tip off yesterday evening, and raided the premises to find three single litre bottles of  prepared alcohol which were confiscated along with a brewing still.

Two men were taken into police custody in relation to the incident: Mohamed Humaul, 21 and Ahmed Anees, 18. Police said two boys aged 14 and 15 years old were also involved. All four are from Seenu Hithadhoo.

The matter is now being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Department and the Hithadhoo police station.

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Police sieze 65 bottles of vodka in raid

An Indian worker residing in Male’ has been arrested in possession of alcohol.

According to Sub-Inspector Ahmed Azhan of the Drug Investigation Department, a raid was conducted on a suspected alcohol brewing and distribution operation. The Indian man, only known as Shibu, was found with 65 bottles of alcohol that police have identified as vodka.

Police are now working to identify the man as he had no passport or other means of identification on him, and believe him to be in the country illegally.

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Circus in parliament as MPs reject bill banning sale of alcohol

Parliament has narrowly rejected a bill outlawing the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands, airports and other places frequented by Maldivians.

Of the 57 MPs in attendance, 28 voted against proceeding with the legislation, while 23 voted in favour and six abstained.

Several MPs from the two main parties vociferously raised points of order when independent MP Muttalib, who proposed the legislation, in his closing statement after the debate, told DRP MP Ali Azim to repent for his remarks and called on the authorities to take action against him.

Azim had argued against the legislation, claiming it was not a “sensible” or “necessary” law.

However Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim did not allow any points of order, leading to pandemonium in the chamber. The sitting was temporarily called off after almost every MP walked out in protest and quorum was lost.

Muttalib also accused MDP MP Mariya Ahmed Didi of opposing the bill because of her “close association” with the Holiday Inn in Male’, and accused MDP MP Mohamed Mustafa of defrauding pilgrims to “steal their money”.

After the sitting resumed at 11am, Muttalib said MPs would have to “bear responsibility” when the government authorised sale of alcohol in hotels in Male’.

A number of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party-People’s Alliance coalition (DRP-PA) MPs joined several independents and all the MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in either abstaining or voting against the bill.

Among the MPs who opposed the legislation were Thohdhoo MP Ali Waheed, Galolhu South MP Ahmed Mahlouf, Vili-Maafanu MP Ahmed Nihan, Mid-Henveiru MP Ali Azim, Villigili MP Mohamed Ramiz, Feydhoo MP Alhan Fahmy of the DRP and Maavashu MP Abdul Azeez Jamal Abukaburu and Isdhoo MP Ahmed Rasheed Ibrahim from the People’s Alliance.

Mid-Henveiru MP Ali Azim
Mid-Henveiru MP Ali Azim

Unconstitutional

During the debate, several MPs argued the bill was unconstitutional as it would indirectly authorise the sale of alcohol.

Article 10(b) of the constitution states no law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be made or enacted in the Maldives.

Machangaoalhi North MP Mariya Ahmed Didi, chairperson of MDP, argued tourist resorts should also be considered inhabited islands.

“The constitution states all Maldivians have equal protection under the law. Therefore, if we are to give protection to people in inhabited islands, we must provide it to people in resorts,” she said, adding resort workers spend most of the year living in the resorts.

Ungoofaru MP Dr Afrashim Ali of the DRP, a religious scholar, said MPs were mistaken when they argued a law was not needed to ban a practice forbidden in Islam, as it was necessary to devise regulations to protect Maldivian society from social ills such as alcohol.

He added flaws and imperfections in the bill could be remedied at committee stage.

His DRP colleague, Mid-Henveiru MP Ali Azim said MPs should consider whether such a law was needed and whether it would protect Islam in the country.

“My thinking on this is very different. We have to consider who we are trying to forbid alcohol to. We are trying to make it illegal for expatriates and foreigners who visit the Maldives. I don’t think this is a reason we should make it illegal,” he said.

With the economy reliant on the tourism industry, he continued, it did not make sense to outlaw the sale of alcohol only in parts of the country as this would not prevent Maldivians gaining access to it.

Azim said the bill was backed by “the Jews” as part of a long-term plan to weaken the country and introduce other religions.

Meanwhile People’s Alliance MP Abdul Azeez spoke in favour of the bill and urged MPs to send it to committee, but voted against it.

“Unacceptable”

Speaking to Minivan News today, Mauroof Zakir, spokesperson for the coalition of NGOs and associations campaigning against the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands, said the reasons given by MPs for rejecting the bill were “unacceptable”.

“We agree that there are problems with the bill, but throwing it out doesn’t solve anything,” he said. “While [parliament] has the power to send it to committee and cut and trim it, the things they said were intended to mislead the public.”

The coalition was considering proposing another bill, he said, and planned to stage protests and employ civil disobedience if the government enforced the revised regulations on the sale of alcohol.

Last month, the government revised the regulations on the import and use of alcohol to revoke over 800 liquor permits issued to expatriates in favour of authorising hotels to serve foreigners under strict supervision.

The Economic Development Ministry argued lax monitoring of the liquor permits had resulted in a black market for alcohol in the capital Male’.

But, the Ministry’s revised regulations were withdrawn following public pressure before it could be enforced and were sent to a parliamentary committee for consultation.

Under the regulations, tourist hotels in inhabited islands with more than 100 beds would be authorised to sell alcohol to foreigners, but the hotel bar should not be visible from outside or employ Maldivians.

Further, an inventory of the alcohol in storage and daily sales has to be maintained and made available to police on request, while the storage room has to be monitored by CCTV cameras.

Alcohol could not be kept at mini-bars in the hotel rooms and expatriate employees at the bar would be subject to police clearance.

Zakir said the coalition would begin work “immediately” on filing a case at the Supreme Court to abolish regulations made 50 years ago that gave authority to the Economic Development Ministry to allow the import and use of alcohol.

Following today’s vote, he said, the coalition expected the revised regulations to be enforced.

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Bill on banning sale of alcohol “unconstitutional”

A bill to ban the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands and airports was contrary to the principles of Islam, MPs argued today.

The bill was unconstitutional as it indirectly authorised the use of alcohol in places not specified in the draft legislation, MPs said.

Article 10(b) of the constitution states, “No law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be enacted in the Maldives.”

Presenting the legislation yesterday, Fares-Maathoda MP Ibrahim Muttalib said he proposed it because the government had revised the regulations to allow the sale of alcohol in tourist hotels in inhabited islands.

“We are not trying to stop the guests who visit the country from drinking alcohol. What we want to do is ban the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands, places that Maldivians frequent and especially airports and airport restaurants and picnic islands,” he said.

Muttalib said he hoped the law would revoke liquor permits given to expatriates and as well as those of yachts and safari vessels.

Under the bill, the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands, airports and uninhabited islands leased for purposes other than tourism will be prohibited.

If passed, those in violation of the law will be either sentenced to one to three years in jail or fined between Rf12,000 (US$944) and Rf36,000 (US$2,800).

During the debate, MPs said if alcohol was to be banned it should be done wholesale along with interest from banks and pork in the resorts.

Feydhoo MP Alhan Fahmy of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), who has been suspended for voting against the party line, said banning alcohol in some places and authorising it in other was against Islamic sharia.

Alcohol has been sold in tourist resorts for the past 30 years, he said, and there was consensus that the industry was “the chicken that lays golden eggs”.

“My question is if some people drink alcohol, should we as Muslims be affected by it?” he said. “Or is alcohol being available for sale somewhere a reason for us Maldivians as Muslims to buy and consume it?”

Instead of laws banning its sale, he continued, legislation was needed to regulate the sale of alcohol to ensure that it was not sold to Maldivians or make it an offence.

Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed of the Dhivehi Qaumee Party argued the law would be tantamount to allowing adultery in the bedroom and banning it in the sitting room.

Fuahmulah South MP Mohamed Rafeeq Hassan of the DRP said the bill had significant flaws and needed amendments.

Thulhaadhoo MP Nazim Rashad, an independent, said Islamic sharia was higher than the constitution and parliament should not pass a bill to authorise the sale of anything banned in Islam.

Thulusdhoo MP Rozaina Adam of the DRP said the flaws in the bill could be corrected in committee and were not a good enough reason to vote against it.

Hulhu-Henveiru MP “Reeko” Moosa Manik, parliamentary group leader of the MDP, said the bill was politically motivated and was intended to publicly accuse the government of authorising the sale of alcohol.

The government has revised regulations to revoke liquor permits in favour of authorising tourist hotels to sell alcohol to foreigners under strict supervision.

The revised regulations published by the economic development ministry were withdrawn following public pressure.

Under the regulations, tourist hotels in inhabited islands with 100 beds would be authorised to sell alcohol to foreigners.

But, the hotel bar should not be visible from outside or employ Maldivians.

Further, an inventory of the alcohol in storage and daily sales must be maintained and made available to police on their request, while CCTV cameras must be mounted at the storage room at hotel.

Alcohol could not be kept at mini-bars in the hotel rooms and expatriate employees at the bar would be subject to police clearance.

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