Vice President of the People’s National Congress Party and Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has accused opposition parties of promoting what he described as a divisive and counterproductive electoral culture, arguing that such approaches hinder national progress.

Speaking at the PNC Dhiveheenge Raajje Taraweeh at Artificial Beach, Minister Shiyam said proposals to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day are intended to benefit the public and strengthen governance.

He alleged that opposition parties prefer to maintain what he termed an outdated political environment, rather than supporting reforms aimed at streamlining electoral processes. Minister Shiyam said that development in the Maldives had been delayed over the years due to decisions taken by previous administrations, claiming that certain reforms beneficial to the public were not pursued.

The minister said the current Administration has addressed issues that, in his view, had previously been avoided, pointing to policy measures such as the vape ban and reforms related to foreign currency regulations as examples of decisive action.

Referring to remarks made by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in 2020 expressing support for holding presidential, parliamentary and local council elections concurrently, Minister Shiyam questioned why such measures were not implemented during the previous administration’s tenure.

He further alleged that opposition parties adopt different positions depending on whether they are in power, stating that political considerations often override national responsibility.