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Hulhumale’: Housing Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib has defended a land allocation in Hulhumale’ Phase 2 after an official document concerning the sale was circulated widely on social media.

According to the Housing Ministry memo, a 1,250 square foot plot in Hulhumale’ was sold at MVR375 per square foot, putting the total price of the land at MVR468,750.

The payment arrangement stated in the document required an initial payment of MVR50,000, while the outstanding balance was to be settled over a period of five years.

The memo, which includes a payment schedule prepared by the ministry, triggered criticism on social media directed at both the recipient of the land and the government.

An office memo, sent only to facilitate receipt of a payment, is being spun in the worst possible way, harming a civil staff and an elderly man who has fought for 23 years to correct an injustice. The Ministry will issue a statement tomorrow.

— Abdulla Muththalib (@muththo) September 8, 2026

Minister says document was misunderstood

Responding to the criticism, Minister Muththalib said on X that the document being circulated was an internal memo prepared specifically to facilitate the payment process.

He said the memo had been taken out of context and presented in what he described as the “worst possible way”.

According to the minister, the matter involves a civil servant and an elderly man who had spent 23 years seeking a resolution to an injustice.

Muththalib said the circulation of the document had resulted in harm to the individuals involved, particularly the elderly man who had pursued the matter for more than two decades.

Further details expected

The minister said the Housing Ministry will release a statement today with additional information regarding the land sale and the circumstances surrounding the transaction.