Ibrahim Rilwan

Hello. I make films.

[Ambassador Kong Xianhua @China_Amb_Mdv]

Good morning, Maldives.
I once thought the beauty of Kimbidhoo was its crystal-clear sea and endless blue sky. But I’ve come to realize that what truly stays with me are the starlight in the locals’ eyes, their boundless kindness, and the island’s long and rich history. I’ll carry this warmth with me as I move forward.

[Ambassador Kong Xianhua @China_Amb_Mdv]

What an amazing show!
Today, we had the opportunity to take part in the preparations and parade for the traditional cultural activity Beyya. People decorated themselves with coconut leaves, cotton, and all kinds of creative materials. Some costumes were playful and amusing, others looked wonderfully spooky, but every single one reflected remarkable imagination and creativity.
As the parade moved through the island under the bright midday sun, people danced, sang, and cheered together along the streets. Music, laughter, and celebration seemed to flow through every corner of Kinbidhoo.

[Mohamed Yaniu @mohamed_yaniu]

A lot of people are talking about the “Malé Taxi” name right now. I want to share our side of the story not as a complaint, but because 10 years of hard work deserves to be heard.

In 2015, we registered the business name “Malé Taxi” under Taviyani Pvt Ltd (Registration No. BN-0929/2015). That same year, we launched Kobaa Taxi, an online taxi booking service. We purchased 150 Samsung tablets from Thailand, along with MiFi devices and SIM cards from Dhiraagu, all with our own money, and distributed them to drivers ourselves. There was no funding, no backing just our own effort to build something new for Malé.

In 2016, we submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Economic Development for motorcycle taxi services (RFP Ref: (IUL)101-AF/2016/77). We demonstrated the concept, but our proposal was not selected. We were then advised to apply through a new regulation, and we followed every process as required.

In 2017, the ministry opened an Expression of Interest for Premium Taxi Services in Malé and Hulhumalé (Ref: (IUL)101-AF/1/2017/31, dated 1 February 2017). We submitted a detailed proposal featuring electric and hybrid vehicles, app-based booking, Maldivian drivers in uniform, cashless rides, and a phased rollout plan. We even beat MTCC on price. In the end, the project was cancelled.

At that time, very few people in the Maldives believed an app-based taxi service could work so in 2017, we stopped.
But we did not give up.

In February 2019, we rebranded and launched Avas Ride. We started again from zero with no outside rescue. Just our own money, our own belief, and our determination to keep going.

Today 7 years later Avas Ride has more than 160,000 customers and 3,000+ drivers. In 2025 alone, we completed 2.9 million rides.

As a white-label platform, we faced limitations in customizing the product for the Maldivian market including constraints around integrations such as BML payment gateway ,implementation of safety features. Despite these challenges, we continued to grow and validate the model locally.

In 2023, we made a major decision: to build our own platform from scratch.
We began developing Avas App with a fully Maldivian team 8 developers, a CTO, a UI designer, and a product manager. We successfully launched it with a grand event, marking a new chapter for locally built technology.

Today, we are preparing for an international white-label launch in Q3 this year.

We proved that this model works not with government money, but with persistence, resilience, and belief in what we are building.

Then, on 2 April 2026, MTCC launched “Malé Taxi Line”: electric vehicles, app-based booking, Malé and Hulhumalé coverage, and uniformed drivers. It is almost identical to what we proposed in 2017 and it uses the name we registered in 2015.

We sent a formal notice regarding name infringement to MTCC on 28 March 2026. They launched anyway. There was no response, no negotiation, and no acknowledgment.
Let us be clear we are not against better public transport. In fact, we have spent the last decade trying to build exactly that.

But if a legally registered business name can be used by a state-owned company without even a conversation, then what message does that send entrepreneurs in Maldives.

[Alaa Didi @alaadidii]

This is the 1958 excavation of the veyru on Kinbidhoo Island. Veyru is an ancient stupa which dates back to the pre Islamic era of the Maldives.
It is believed that the dhivehi word “Veyru” is derived from the Sinhalese word Vehra which is also used to describe such places.

[JerryRigEverything @ZacksJerryRig]

33% of the deaths in Gaza are children.

That's not a 'war'.

[Mohamed Abbas @Abbasvelidhoo]

މާލޭ ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ލިބޭ ހިދުމަތް ރާއްޖެތެރޭ ރައްޔިތުންނަށްވެސް ލިބެންޖެހޭ…

[Janty @CFC_Janty]

“Nobody can beat this PSG super team “

Chelsea:

[👩🏻‍🎤🧸🌺 @SneakyCapz]

🧵 .

1/
Sometimes I wonder if our education system is truly ours.

It teaches our kids to pass foreign exams, speak in foreign tongues, and chase foreign dreams

but forgets to teach them how to live and thrive in our own islands

All they heard was life in Male’ since childhood

[Imleedh A. Hilmy @hamalolun]

ރުކުގެ ވާހަކަ ދައްކާތާ އެތައް އަހަރެއް ވަނީ. އެވާހަކަ ދެއްކީމާ ބޮޑަށް ތިބޭ މީހުން ބުނަނީ ތިއީ މާ ޅަ ކުއްޖެކޭ. ކަލެއަށް އެނގޭނީ ވަކި ކޮން އެއްޗެއް ހެއްޔޭ. އެހެންތާ ދޯ ވާނީ. ޒުވާންކަމަކީވެސް ހަމައެކަނި ޖަލްސާއަކަށް އަރާ ހަޅޭއްލަވަންވީމާ މުހިންމު ވާ އެއްޗެއް.

[👩🏻‍🎤🧸🌺 @SneakyCapz]

🧵 Maldivians lack serious operational capability. It’s hurting us badly. Let me explain:

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

Why has IGMH not provided us with the requested information about the patient's treatment? The patient was admitted in February, yet to date, no written information has been made available. The patient has since passed away due to negligence and malpractice. What is the reason for this delay? Is there an attempt to manipulate information? Is there something being hidden from us?

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

In my experience, when the patient was in the ward or a private room, there were times when it took 5 to 10 days for a doctor to attend to an issue. So please, don’t wait: go straight to the information counter, grab the duty manager, and don’t stop until a doctor sees the patient. The ICU was different. In our case, the doctors were available; especially the intensivist, who was available 24/7. We are very grateful for his service.

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

I cannot remember a single moment in my life without him. He was there—living with us, a presence so constant, so fatherly, that I never once felt like anything less than his own child. The thought of facing life without him feels unbearable. But what breaks me even more is knowing that, while death comes to us all, the events that led him into intensive care—and ultimately to his passing—should never have happened. What I will never recover from was when he kept pleading for us to take him out, saying, “This place is killing me,” and I realized too late how right he was. His death was the result of malpractice and negligence. That truth is a wound too deep to put into words.

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

No doctor at IGMH can explain how someone who had hip surgery, fully recovered, was walking and doing exercises, suddenly ended up losing his eyesight, losing his speech, becoming unable to breathe, losing mental capacity, and needing to be put on a ventilator. He’s no longer with us, but we just can’t let him go.

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

Good morning, Your Excellency,

I am urgently seeking antibiotics for a family member who is in critical care at IGMH Hospital in Malé. Unfortunately, access to basic medication has become a serious issue. Our government has consistently failed to address the needs of ordinary citizens. Please do not be misled by the beauty of our beaches and sea — the reality for common people is far from it. We are treated with neglect and struggle even to obtain essential medical supplies. This was the case under the last government, and the current situation is even worse.

If China can assist, many Maldivians would be truly grateful.

[Hassan Kurusee @HKurusee]

Have you ever imagined a Maldives without antibiotics and other essential drugs?

Dr @ibrahimlatheef’s brother in law who’s currently in ICU couldn’t get antibiotics today. He’s one of the thousands of people who’re facing the same issue.

The whole population is suffering.

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

Dear Representatives of @WHO @WHOMaldives

I am writing with deep concern and urgency regarding the critical situation at IGMH Hospital in Malé, Maldives @MoHmv. Patients admitted in critical care are unable to access essential antibiotics and other life-saving medications due to ongoing shortages. This is not an isolated issue but part of a broader systemic failure in the country’s healthcare system, where even the most basic medical services remain inaccessible to ordinary citizens. While the government continues to appoint political figures and spend millions per month on them with no benefit to the public, there is only one intensivist at IGMH serving the entire Maldivian population.

We urgently appeal to your esteemed organizations to take notice of this growing concern. Please ensure that any aid or assistance provided is subject to rigorous oversight and reaches those it is intended to help. The people of the Maldives are in desperate need of your support and intervention.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

އަޖީއެމްއެޗްގެ އައިސީޔޫއަށް އެންޓިބަޔޮޓިކްސްވެސް ހޯއްދަވައި ދެއްވަންވީނޫންތޯ؟ ނުލިބިގެން މިތެޅެނީ.

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

Dear President @MMuizzu,
Why not visit IGMH and ask why a patient scheduled for surgery is still waiting for blood and platelets? The necessary machine is in need of repair. You seem to take pride in purchasing drones and tankers for the MNDF, but only a deeply misguided or indifferent leader would prioritise military equipment over essential healthcare services.

[Ibrahim Latheef @ibrahimlatheef]

We need the public, especially today’s youth, to do something about this problem.
IGMH has increasingly become a place where patients are kept waiting until they can go overseas for proper treatment. This is deeply concerning for Maldivians, as not everyone has the means or opportunity to seek treatment abroad.
I always wonder, why aren’t the governments taking meaningful steps to improve healthcare at IGMH?
For ordinary Maldivians, it’s often the only option; however, for politicians and those with means, treatment abroad is always an escape route. As long as decision-makers rely on foreign hospitals, they have not cared about this healthcare options available to the people they represent.
This reflects a critical systemic issue: the lack of accountability and investment in Maldivian healthcare infrastructure, especially when those in power have alternatives abroad. This has created one healthcare system for the elite and another for the general public. When politicians consistently seek treatment overseas, it sends a message that local hospitals aren’t good enough; even for them.
Please think about the many helpless families in this country. We need a better healthcare system. Clearly, the governments have never cared. @HKurusee @MvVathan @MMuizzu @ANazim2019 @AdhadhuMV