PO discloses Solih's US trip receipts

President's Office on Saturday, has issued the receipts related to former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's trip to the United States.

Solih made the trip to the US to deliver his speech at the United Nations assembly.

Ahmed Azaan, the current Central-Hithadhoo MP of the parliament, had requested the information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act during his tenure as a local journalist. 

Azaan confirmed the receipts of Solih's trip have been shared with him, which falls under the policy on transparency by the current President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

Solih made the trip to the US in September 2021. Azaan submitted the RTI request to the President's Office on September 27, 2021.

During the hearing on the case at Supreme Court last Monday, state prosecutors claimed the request for the trip's receipts was made in breach of the RTI Act. The prosecutors argued President's Office is not obliged to disclose them.

The state also requested to overturn High Court's decision which earlier ruled in favor of the Information Commissioner's Office demanding disclosure of the receipts.

After the state claimed it was not liable to share the information, the MP expressed concern. Azaan argued that the expenses incurred from taxpayer money are not personal information.

The MP said he hoped the Attorney General Ahmed Usham would change his stance on the issue.

Attorney General's Office changed its decision last Tuesday, announcing it reviewed the High Court's ruling and decided to recant its appeal with the apex court.

The AG Office further advised the President's Office to disclose the information.