Minister of Homeland Security Ali Ihsaan has called on police officers to refrain from taking bribes or engaging in corrupt practices within the workplace, stressing the need for integrity in public institutions.

He made these remarks while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 41st Basic Training Programme of the Maldives Police Service held last night. The minister said the Maldivian public expects full protection from the police and emphasised that corruption has no place in police work.

Ali Ihsaan highlighted that police officers often work in challenging and risky environments where attempts are made to influence them through money, promises of promotions, or personal benefits. He said such practices must be rejected and noted that the training and determination of newly graduated officers should guide them in maintaining professional standards.

The minister stressed that there should be zero tolerance for corruption within the police institution, adding that fighting corruption is essential to building the Maldives that citizens aspire to. He also outlined key policy priorities, including eliminating drug-related crimes, bringing gang-related groups to justice, addressing the issue of illegal expatriates, and protecting children from criminal influences.

In addition, minister Ihsaan noted that more than 1,000 police officers have yet to complete basic training. He said 967 officers have already completed their training, while the remaining officers will join a new training batch scheduled to begin in January. This year, a total of 185 trainees successfully completed the Police Basic Training Programme.