Spokesperson: No involvement of govt in proposed media regulation bill

The government is not involved in the bill to regulate media and internet being drafted by Ahmed Nazim, deputy speaker of Parliament and prominent politician from the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), says the President’s Office.

In an appearance on Sun’s ‘Editaruge Suvaalu’ program, Nazim, who represents the Dhiggaru constituency, said that current self-regulatory mechanism for media and internet isn’t working. He said he has been working on a new bill to regulate media and internet for the last two months.

In response, the chief spokesperson at the President’s Office, Heena Waleed wrote on X on Sunday afternoon that the government is not engaged in any effort to introduce a bill to regulate the media or internet.

“Such a bill is not part of the government’s legislative agenda. There is no intention of introducing such a bill in the future either,” she said.

“As stated before, the government’s policy is to deregulate the media and allow for a self-regulatory mechanism.”

She said that the administration’s “top policy since day one has been to establish and maintain freedom of the press at the fullest extent possible.”

ނޫސްވެރިކަމާ އިންޓަރނެޓް ރެގިއުލޭޓް ކުރާ ބިލެއް ތަޢާރަފް ކުރާކަށް ސަރުކާރުން އެެއްވެސް މަސައްކަތެއް ނުކުރޭ. ސަރުކާރުގެ ލެޖިސްލޭޓިވް އެޖެންޑާގައިވެސް އެފަދަ ބިލެއް ހިމެނިފައި ނުވާނެ. ކުރިއަށްއޮތް ތަނުގައިވެސް އެފަދަ ބިލެއް ތަޢާރަފް ކުރުމުގެ ވިސްނުމެއްނެތް. ކުރިންވެސް…

— Heena Waleed (@MvSpokesperson) January 26, 2025

In his interview to Sun, Nazim spoke of the duplication of the functions of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom) and the Maldives Media Council (MMC), as well as the high cost of funding two institutions that essentially serve the same purpose.

He added that “things aren’t going in the most responsible manner”, and that journalists need to be more responsible.

“I believe that the media needs to be more responsible. The media claims they can self-regulate. But this isn’t working. I don’t see it working. The TVs air whatever they want. They write whatever they want,” he said.

Nazim believes that Malaysia, which has a communications and multimedia commission, is a good model for Maldives to follow.

Nazim said that one of the main objectives of the bill, which he plans to submit ones Parliament reopens on February 6, is to regulate internet, social media and mainstream media under one roof.

ނޫސްވެރިކަމާއި އިންޓަނެޓްގެ ވަސީލަތްތައް މިހާރު އޮންނަ ނިޒާމުގެ ތެރެއިން ސެލްފް ރެގިއުލޭޓްނުކުރެވޭ ކަމަށާއި އެހެންވެ، އެ ކަންކަން ހަރުދަނާ ގޮތެއްގައި ރެގިއުލޭޓްކުރަން ބިލެއް ތައްޔާރުކުރައްވަމުން ގެންދަވާ ކަމަށް ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހުގެ ނައިބު ރައީސް އަހުމަދު ނާޒިމް ވިދާޅުވެއްޖެ… pic.twitter.com/lvJzdcUa6n

— sun.mv (@sunbrk) January 26, 2025

He said that the bill will be drafted in accordance with international best practice, and that the bill will be opened for comment from media and other stakeholders once it is submitted to the Parliament.

Last year, Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakr submitted the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission Bill to the Parliament - designed to create a seven-member Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission, replacing the Maldives Broadcasting Commission and the Maldives Media Council. Four of the members, including the president and vice president of the commission, would be appointed by the Maldivian president with parliamentary approval. The remaining three members would be elected by broadcasters and medias. It also proposed fines of up to MVR 10,000 for individual reporters.

The bill had sparked resistance from the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) and opposition parties, including the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – which labeled it an effort to “bury” freedom of the press in the Maldives.

MDP had alleged that the bill was drafted by the government. And was submitted through Hannan so that the government can be safe from any blowback.

The MJA had expressed concern that the bill undermines the principles of a free press and would lead to “undue government influence on freedom of media and journalists.”

Hannan bowed down to the pressure and withdrew the bill.