President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has publicly disclosed details of expenses related to Muliaage, the official presidential residence, and Aarah, the presidential retreat island, following widespread speculation on social media regarding the frequency of his visits and associated costs.

The clarification came in response to a journalist’s question at a press conference held at the President’s Office on Saturday. Addressing the rumours, the President said much of the information being shared online about expenses and First Family meals is false.

He explained that he frequently visits Aarah to play football, which he described as part of his routine for maintaining physical health. The President said that Aarah has a high-quality football stadium and that, when his schedule permits, he visits the island up to three times a week to play.

Providing further context, the President said he had travelled to Aarah a total of 116 times. Of these, 85 visits were made solely for playing football, while 31 included his family. He added that the total fuel cost including two security launches used for these trips amounted to MVR 844,635.50.

In addition to clarifying his travel to Aarah, the President addressed concerns over food expenses at Muliaage. He said the figures circulating on social media do not reflect the actual costs and provided official figures to support his statement.

According to the President, MVR 565,703.93 was spent on meals at Muliaage in 2024 . He clarified that the budget for Aarah is included within the overall Muliaage budget. As of April 30 this year, MVR 175,564.17 has been spent on meals at the official residence.