The People's National Congress (PNC) MP Saudhullah Hilmy has defended the compensation arrangement awarded to Swift Engineering Pvt Ltd, stating that the decision ultimately benefited the state and avoided a costly legal battle.
Saudhullah, who holds a stake in Swift Engineering, responded via Facebook to allegations against former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail, who was recently summoned by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over the 2019 settlement. The ACC claims Fayyaz abused his position on the Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee to grant Swift Engineering undue benefit, causing financial loss to the state.
In his post, Saudhullah said Swift had been removed from six government projects under former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration without due process. He explained that the settlement committee under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s government offered the company a choice between monetary compensation or project reassignment.
“I asked them to give projects equal to the value of the terminated ones. Swift was not paid any money,” he wrote. According to Saudhullah, five projects were awarded in place of four, while no compensation was given for the remaining two. “The state benefited. If it had gone to court, the payout would have been much higher,” he added.
Saudhullah’s remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of compensation deals made during the previous administration. The Prosecutor General’s Office has ordered an expedited investigation into the roles of Fayyaz, former President Solih, and former Presidential Office Minister Ali Shiyam in connection with settlements totaling over MVR 1.6 billion.
Fayyaz has denied wrongdoing and accused the current administration of using state institutions to intimidate opposition figures.