The Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has firmly denied recent claims that the allocation of 4,000 flats was influenced by political factors or unfair practices. Senior Executive Director Mohamed Arif of the Ministry has dismissed these allegations, asserting that there is no substantial basis for such accusations.
Arif emphasized that the allocation of flats in the first housing project in the Male’ Area, under the current government, was conducted fairly and impartially. He clarified that no one who owns upwards of 600 square feet of land in the Male’ area is included in the list of flat recipients, and those who previously received a Hiyaa flat have not been considered eligible either.
Addressing concerns raised by some applicants about the duration of their residence in Male’, Arif stated that this factor alone could not be considered a valid complaint. He pointed out that a complaint would only be considered valid if it specifically questioned how the points were assigned to an applicant.
In response to inquiries regarding any potential unfair flat allocations, Arif reassured the public that individuals who received 77 points based on their living standards were not denied flats. However, he stressed that points were assigned based on the information provided by applicants in their forms.
State Minister Akram Kamaluddeen confirmed that all complaints received within the specified window would be thoroughly reviewed. If any instances of wrongful flat allocation, even if by mistake, are identified, they will be promptly addressed and rectified.
The housing scheme involves the verification of applicants’ living standards through random sampling. According to the Ministry, out of the 20,000 applicants, 3,000 households were randomly selected for inspection. Arif reported that no cases of providing false information have been detected thus far, underlining that applicants are required to sign a declaration affirming the accuracy of the information they provide.
