Shaheem rejects claim that waqf SOE will take over mosques, says aim is to raise funds for repairs

The government’s newly established Maldives Awqaf Investments Company is not intended to take over mosques from local councils, but to provide financial assistance for their repair and maintenance, Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said on Sunday.

The President’s Office announced the formation of Maldives Endowment Investments Limited as a 100 percent government‑owned company on Saturday. According to the announcement, the company’s main objectives include building mosques across the country, repairing and maintaining them, and developing income‑generating endowment buildings and commercial projects.

Sanngu news reported Mayor Adam Azim saying that the government had taken over mosque management from councils and created a separate company “to hassle with the people.” In response, Shaheem posted on social media that the SOE would not take over mosques, and that its purpose was to raise the funds required for mosque repairs.

Shaheem said the city council had recently sent a letter requesting an annual increase of MVR 1 million for mosque renovation. He added that this model is used in many Islamic countries, noting that councils alone cannot afford such expenses.

“The waqf company will not take over the mosques. What the company will do is provide financial assistance to those who repair and maintain the mosques,” he said.

Mayor Azim said the government established the company after the council had already completed mosque renovation work very well, and that the council continues to take the initiative to maintain mosques properly.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said on Saturday that the National Endowment Company will bring new spirit and vitality to the country’s religious affairs, and marks an important step toward the government’s vision of making the Maldives a developed nation by 2040.