Sixty-three members of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) National Council have supported a request for the party leadership to convene a formal meeting to determine the party's official stance on the Rasmalé land project.
The call emerged from an informal gathering of council members, where participants agreed to poll the full National Council via its WhatsApp group. All 63 members who responded voted in favour of holding the session and requested that it be broadcast live.
The project involves allocating roughly 500 hectares of reclaimed land in Rasmalé to the UAE-based developer Eagle Hills. While some party figures, including Abdulla Shahid, have expressed support for aspects of the development, Chairperson Mohamed Nasheed has opposed convening a dedicated meeting on the issue.
Nasheed has argued that public criticism of Mohamed Alabbar, the founder of Eagle Hills, could harm the Maldives' relations with the UAE and damage the MDP's interests. In a message to the National Council group, he stated that the UAE remains a friendly nation to the party and that confrontational language risks pushing the country closer to the ruling People's National Congress.
The National Council is the MDP's highest decision-making body. Elections for its next term are scheduled for 27 November following structural reforms adopted at the recent party congress.
Party members have sought greater clarity on the Rasmalé arrangement amid ongoing debate over lease terms, environmental impact, and the long-term implications of granting extensive control of the site to a foreign developer.