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 Salman, who is on a month-long Asian tour, was due to visit the
Maldives on Saturday.
The visit "has been postponed due to the high prevalence of the flu
in the Maldives," the government said in a statement, adding that a
new date would be confirmed.
The Maldives has been hit by an outbreak of flu, with some cases
showing signs of H1N1 influenza A, or swine flu.
The government said this month a planned multibillion dollar,
Saudi-funded investment project on one of its atolls would focus on
high-end tourism, and it rejected opposition claims that the islands
would be sold to the government of Saudi Arabia.
Maldives former president Mohamed Nasheed's party early this month
said the project would effectively give a foreign power control over
Faafu atoll in a form of colonialization by Saudi Arabia. There have
been public protests about the project over the suspected land sale
it involves.
Despite its reputation as a tourist paradise, the largely Muslim
island chain of 400,000 people is struggling with a large number of
youths enlisting to fight for Islamic State in the Middle East.
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The opposition says allowing Saudi influence in the country would
result in more radicalization.
(Reporting by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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