Noting that a large proportion of the youth population is addicted to drugs, Galolhu-south MP Ahmed Mahloof told reporters that MDP’s youth policy could be targeting the votes of 15,000 drug users in the Maldives. “At a time when our society is battling drug abuse, MDP comes out and says that people can have fun without fear during the party’s government,” he said. Mahloof, who has steered clear of the media limelight recently amidst rumours of a defection to MDP, highlighted that everyone should be concerned when a party says that people can have “fun without any fear.” “So one must think about what kind of fun or entertainment they [MDP] are referring to,” he said. He further assured that a PPM government would also give precedence to youth development and progress. MDP launched its youth policy on Friday under the theme, “fun and entertainment without fear.” The party’s presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed was asked about the controversy surrounding the new policy and he said that “[special operations] police won’t be given the opportunity to spoil the fun.”