President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said that the obstruction to legal governance with aims of consolidating power at the expense of the country's detriment was high treason.
While speaking at the function to commemorate Huravee Day, held at the Maldives Center for Social Education (MCSE) on Saturday evening, December 16, the President made the remarks amid the Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) proposed parliamentary regulation amendment that aims to grant the party, which holds the parliamentary majority, the ability to impeach the President.
President Muizzu further emphasized that it was an act of treason to consolidate and showcase power at the expense of the citizens' and country's detriment. He viewed it as an act of cowardice led by feeble-minded individuals.
Speaking on the occasion of Huravee Day, President Muizzu stressed Dhonbandaarain's valor and his comrades' loyalty. He underscored the grim history leading to the battle and condemned Shamsuddeen and Muhyiddin's treacherous act of inviting foreign troops for political control.
According to President Muizzu, Dhonbandaarain played an instrumental role in intervening in the ongoing incursions by the Dutch in the Maldives and led the efforts to enter into a peace treaty with the French, which was gaining control in the region back then.
President Muizzu further highlighted that in seeking the treaty with the French, Dhonbandaarain prioritized the safety and protection of his country and citizens, and ensured that the French did not exercise its control on the internal and political matters of the Maldives according to history.
"The agreement ensured the French had to respect the ideologies and beliefs of the Maldivian people, and that the protection of the country's land, religion, sovereignty, and jurisdiction fell under the Maldives government. It ensured the French could not object to this," President Muizzu said.
Although the Dhonbandaarain-led agreement with the French was made some 270 years back, it was exemplary of the sound foreign policies upheld by the then Maldives government, said Dr. Muizzu.
In this regard, the President emphasized that fostering patriotic values within citizens was necessary towards ensuring the preservation of their country. He underscored the importance of fostering the spirit, courage and capacity among the citizens towards the protection of their motherland.
President Muizzu also highlighted that his administration's priority of building patriotic generations and called for the support of everyone in the endeavor. He announced a nationwide effort to rejuvenate nationalism and announced the establishment of a National Center for Cultural Research and a National College for Culture, incorporating a subject titled "nationalism" into the national curriculum under the current administration's "Week-14" roadmap.
This inclusion of 'nationalism' as a subject in national curriculum, the President said, would promote patriotic values among students. He said that the decision would help build patriotic future generations.
"I believe a lot of effort is required to rejuvenate the honesty, integrity, and vigor of our forefathers in the future generation. A lot of work is required to build a peaceful, compassionate society that respects the elderly and leaders."
"That is true progress and development. This is only possible with rejuvenation of the Maldivian identity."
President Muizzu further affirmed commitment by the current government to eradicate all social vices contaminating the Maldivian community.