The People’s National Congress (PNC) has contributed MVR 300,000 to the Ceylon Aa Eku Dhiveheen telethon, an initiative aimed at supporting Sri Lanka’s disaster response following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

The telethon, facilitated through two dedicated Bank of Maldives (BML) accounts, has so far collected more than MVR 800,000, in addition to USD 11,000 deposited into the designated dollar account.

The PNC’s donation was handed over by members of the party’s parliamentary group, including Party Chairperson and Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla and Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Falah. The contribution was received on behalf of Public Service Media (PSM) by Deputy Managing Director Yameen Rasheed.

Speaking to PSM after the handover, Speaker Abdul Raheem highlighted the deep, long-standing ties between the Maldives and Sri Lanka. He noted that Sri Lanka has long been a destination for Maldivians and is home to one of the largest expatriate communities residing in the Maldives.

“Sri Lanka and the Maldives have maintained a close, brotherly relationship for many years. The Maldives has been recognised as the first country to prioritise assistance in the face of such a tragic disaster,” Abdul Raheem said.

He added that the Maldives was the first country to extend support to Sri Lanka under the initiative of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, emphasising that this reflects the strength of the diplomatic relations cultivated by the current administration with neighbouring nations.