Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed drew widespread criticism on Wednesday after angrily shouting at Parliament Minority Leader Ibrahim Nazil during the Parliament’s question time.

The heated exchange erupted when Nazil questioned the Minister about delays in the construction of the Islamic Centre in Addu City’s Hithadhoo. In response, Minister Shaheem raised his voice, accusing the lawmaker of spreading false information and insisting that the project’s delay was not due to late payments.

“The current government has cleared all outstanding payments,” Shaheem said. “The real issue is that the project was awarded to people who do not have the capacity to complete it. You should be ashamed to ask questions about this.”

He went on to blame the previous Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government for “bankrupting the Islamic Ministry” and said it had left behind poorly managed projects.

Opposition MPs reacted strongly to Shaheem’s outburst, condemning his behavior and calling it “disrespectful and unbecoming of a cabinet minister.” One MDP MP described the exchange as “disgusting to witness,” saying Shaheem acted more like a political activist than a member of the Cabinet.

This marks the first time in recent memory that a sitting minister has publicly yelled at a parliamentarian during the official question-and-answer session, sparking public debate about decorum and accountability in the legislative chamber.