Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said that holding on to independence is much more difficult than gaining it.

In his address on the occasion of the 54 Independence Day of the Maldives, gaining independence takes the sacrifice of many and hangs the rights of many in the balance.

Maumoon, who was president for 30 years, said that holding to the independence of the nation is more difficult than acquiring it. However, protecting it is tasked by the Constitution on the government and every people.

He assured the people that the current coalition government will to whatever it takes without hesitation to maintain the independence of the country.

The former President said that true independence is peace of the society.