MALE: President Mohamed Nasheed has said that documents related to the governance of former President Ibrahim Naasir will be opened up for public viewing very soon. He said this at the weekly radio address given this morning paying tribute to former President Naasir whose first death anniversary falls on 22 November. President Nasheed said that these documents will be revealed to the public so that people would know how things functioned and how some of the decisions were made during former President Naasir’s presidency. He said that during the past 30 years, information about former President Naasir’s leadership was talked in such a way that the good aspects and bad aspects of his leadership were confused. Saying that former President Naasir’s possessions and respect was violated during the past 30 years, President Nasheed said that former President Naasir’s residence, Velaanaage, was expropriated by the state.

A government office complex is now under construction in the premise of former Velaanaage.

In his radio address, President Nasheed also shared his thoughts on the Bill prohibiting establishment of non-Muslim worship places in Maldives. He said that when the Bill is passed on to him for ratification, the biggest question that he would have to deal with would be on Islamic Shariah’s ruling on worshipping religions besides Islam. He said he wanted to know the Shariah’s views about not allowing expatriates in Maldives for worshipping as they practice a religion besides Islam. President Nasheed said that he hoped the Islamic scholars in the country would deliberate and discuss this issue. He added that it would be easy for him to make a decision on ratifying this Bill when his questions are answered.