Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu wore a two-piece suit as he waited on the red carpet to welcome Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on his first state visit to the Maldives. He was accompanied by cabinet ministers and other senior state officials, similarly dressed in formal wear. Forming two neat lines near the red carpet were soldiers, in their ceremonial uniforms and holding their ceremonial gun, ready for the honor guard.
The plane carrying Dissanayake landed at the Velana International Airport at 08:20 am Monday. Wearing a wrinkled gray kurta shirt and black trousers, Dissanayake’s attire was in sharp contrast to that of those around him. His simple attire sparked an immediate social media buzz in the Maldives.
“Why is he wearing such simple clothing on a state visit?” asked netizens.
Some saw it as a sign of disrespect, while the mass majority linked Dissanayake’s clothing to Sri Lanka’s economic situation.
ރޫޖެހިފައިވާ ގަމީހެއް ލައިގެން ވަރަށް އާދައިގެ ގޮތެއްގައި ރާއްޖެ އެ ވަޑައިގަތީ ސްރީ ލަންކާގެ ރައީސް އެވެ. އޭނާގެ ގައުމު އޮތް ހާލަތު އޭނާއަށް އެނގެއެވެ. ސަރުކާރުގެ ހަރަދުތައް ކުޑަ ކުރިއެވެ. އެންމެ އާދައިގެ މީހުންގެ ތަކުލީފުތަކަށް ލުއި ގެނައެވެ. އަމިއްލަ އުފެއްދުންތެރިކަން ދަނީ… pic.twitter.com/EArHHWiL2O
— Luke (@lucasjalyl) July 28, 2025
“He understands the plight of his country. He cut down government spending. He eased the hardships of ordinary people. He has been boosting the country’s productivity. The country, once in the brink of bankruptcy, is now seeing economic growth. The government isn’t wasting money after telling the people to eat idiyappam and kirugarudhiya. This is a lesson we must all learn from the Sri Lankan president,” wrote Shamoon ‘Lucas’ Jaleel, who served as a director at the Heritage Ministry in the previous administration, in a post on X.
Other netizens were of the same thought.
They commended him on his simple outfit and no-nonsense attitude.
Here comes the Pre of Sri Lanka @anuradisanayake arriving in Maldives, in no fake “simple outfit” to fool anyone (unlike some of our politicians) This man led his country out of an economic collapse, cut gov waste, and brought inflation down from 70% + to single digits. Let’s… pic.twitter.com/ybbNc0iAMA
— Midhuam Saud(米渡）???????? (@midh_am) July 28, 2025
Between 2019 and 2024, Sri Lanka faced its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. It led to unprecedented levels of inflation, near-depletion of foreign exchange reserves, shortages of medical supplies, and an increase in prices of basic commodities. The economic hardships resulted in mass protests, and toppled the powerful Rajapaksa family in 2022. But with the fiscal consolidation measures implemented by Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took over after the fall Rajapaksa family, and Dissanayake, who took office in 2024, the Sri Lankan economy is now on the road to recovery.
Is there a link to Dissanayake’s attire and the Sri Lankan economy?
Dissanayake, who won the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential elections on the promise of changing the island's "corrupt" political culture, is often seen in simple clothing.
Based on Sri Lankan media reports, this has little to do with the country’s economy, and more with his personality.
“There’s no connection between the Sri Lankan economy and the president’s clothing. That’s just the way he usually dresses. He does wear suits. But very rarely. He’s usually in simple attire,” said a senior journalist from Sri Lanka.
“This is in no way a sign of disrespect for his Maldives trip. It’s just how the president usually dresses.”
It is a privilege to visit India on my first overseas trip as President and I am grateful to PM @narendramodi for supporting Sri Lanka during the economic crisis and for aiding debt restructuring. We discussed trade, defence, energy, BRICS, UNCLCS, and stopping illegal fishing… pic.twitter.com/hk1dOjK8IV
— Anura Kumara Dissanayake (@anuradisanayake) December 16, 2024
The comments by this journalist, who works at Sri Lanka’s national media station, is supported by photos of Dissanayake that are available on social media. He wore kurtas, part of traditional attire in some parts of Sri Lanka, during his meetings with both Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first state visit to India. He also wears kurtas to most official government meetings and functions.
He is photographed wearing suits only rarely.
This morning (09), two newly appointed Justices of the Court of Appeal, Mr. K.M.S. Disanayake and Mr. R.P. Hettiarachchi, took their oaths before me at the Presidential Secretariat. Congratulations to both on their new roles! pic.twitter.com/QE9lOFm7uj
— Anura Kumara Dissanayake (@anuradisanayake) January 9, 2025
Wearing kurtas for official functions is nothing new in Sri Lanka. Former Sri Lankan presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena also preferred traditional attire. It is also common to see politicians from India and Bangladesh in traditional clothing. 
A simple man of humble beginnings
Dissanayake was born to a working-class family in the village of Dewahuwa in the Matale district of the central province of Sri Lanka. His father was an agricultural worker who later worked as an office aide, while his mother was a housewife.
His family later settled Thambuththegama, and Dissanayake rose to prominence as a student leader in the 1990s espousing the idea of communism in the island country.
"Our country needs a new political culture," he said, after he cast his ballot in the 2024 election.
He stayed true to his promise, implementing a string of cost cutting measures including reducing the number of official residences of the president and cutting certain allowances to former presidents and their families.
According to information released by the Sri Lankan government in March, they spent just USD 6,000 from the state budget on official visits by Dissanayake to India, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Many netizens have also been linking Dissanayake’s simple attire to Maldives’ own dire economic situation. It comes amid mounting frustration over lack of concrete efforts to cut down costs, including on political appointments and firework displays, despite the country’s massive external debt obligations.