Youth Minister Ahmed Mahloof has apologized for his comments about operating casinos in the Maldives amid serious backlash from the public.
The Minister made the comments at the parliament session yesterday after the MP for Kaashidhoo Constituency Abdullah Jabir had said that casinos should be allowed in the Maldives and questioned the Minister about why it was not allowed here.
In response, the Minister went on to say that there is no room for such discussion in the country and beginning such discussions would itself be bad.
He further said that society should be allowed to hold discussions and find solutions to such matters.
This led many to aim harsh criticism at the outspoken Minister and religious scholars went as far as calling for him to repent for his comments about the subject.
Today, the Minister was forced to apologize for his comments and said on Twitter that he had never supported building a casino in the country.
Mahloof said that he never advocated for it and that he had no interest in seeing one built here in the Maldives. But the Minister asked the public to forgive him for his comments on the subject and for any misunderstanding about his mindset on the matter.
