I believe the challenge for Maldives today is to apply Islamic precepts to a more open society with very concrete needs. We are a nation that is culturally conservative and founded in Islamic principles. We must work towards being a prosperous, democratic Muslim state.
Ideally Maldives must now be governed by a party that is deeply religious, but operates within a system that protects liberties. A puritanical view would be to the detriment of the nation and its peoples as we move towards modernity and development.
Let us look at models that combine Islam and modernity, like Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia and identify ourselves accordingly rather than taking the mantle of Islamism for political ends.
