President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said political differences must never be placed above the national interest.

Speaking on the State Media’s Nation Chat programme, President Dr Muizzu said actions against the country could take many forms and were not limited to armed conflict. He said words, written statements and actions could also undermine national interests.

The President said political differences should not take precedence over the country’s interests, particularly when pursuing political or personal agendas. He added that obstructing initiatives that could benefit the country could also amount to acting against national interests.

President Dr Muizzu emphasised that the Maldives is a fully Islamic country and that Maldivians are a united people, describing these as defining characteristics of the nation. He said any action that undermines these characteristics or weakens these fundamental principles could be considered contrary to the national interest.

He added that such actions had occurred in the past and continued to take place, stressing the importance of remaining vigilant against them.