No one has the right to say ‘whatever’ they want, says President

No one has the right to say or write whatever they want, said President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday, as he urged the people to maintain good values adopted by Maldivian ancestors.

The appeal, made during the National Day reception in HA. Utheemu on Sunday morning, comes as his administration faces criticism for backing a new media bill that both local and international media agencies slam as a threat to press freedom in the Maldives.

In his address, President Muizzu said that all Maldivian citizens have a civic responsibility towards preserving and protecting the national identity of the Maldives, in order to ensure the nation gets delivered safely for future Maldivian generations.

“True development is something we all must persevere to pursue. Developing our minds, reviving the national identity, we all have a civic responsibility towards doing this for the sake of the future generations,” he said.

President Muizzu said that the Maldivian people must prioritize national interest above all in everything they do.

He said that the country used to promote a lot of good values that made the people proud to the Maldivian. He said that showing compassion and caring for parents, children, senior citizens and neighbors are all part of the Maldivian identity.

He said that all this is getting lost with time.

“This is not what we see now. Today, there is no consideration among us for the other’s dignity, reputation or honor. Its all about personal gain and getting the things you want for yourself,” he said.

President Muizzu said that no one has the right to say whatever they want.

Your right to freedom of expression ends the moment that what you do or say encroaches on the freedom, reputation and honor of another, he said.

“None of us have the right to violate another’s dignity, honor or reputation. None of us have the right to say whatever we want. To write whatever we want,” he said.

 President Muizzu said that all rights and freedoms have limitations.

He went on to ask the participants of the function whether it would constitute to freedom of expression if someone among them were to suddenly announce they have a bomb.

“For example, if one of you were to just suddenly stand up and announce that you have a bomb by claiming you have a right to exercise freedom of expression. If you were to just shout that out… Is this freedom? What about the rights of other people?” he said.

“We need to use our minds. It is only then can we protect our independence and our national identity.”

The remarks come as President Muizzu’s administration faces criticism for backing a contentious media control bill submitted to the Parliament last week by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakr, an independent lawmaker aligned with the government.

The bill that seeks to dissolve the Maldives Media Council (MMC) and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom), replacing them with a single regulatory body — a seven-member Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (MMBC), composed of four members elected by the media and three appointed by the President with parliamentary approval, with the President also given the authority to appoint the commission’s head. It also empowers the MMBC to impose major penalties against media outlets as well as individual journalists, including during the investigative stage.

But while journalists' associations such as the MMC, the Maldives Journalists Association and even the International Journalists Assocuation protest against the new media bill as a threat to press freedom, it is backed by the government, which insists the legislature is designed to empower the press and protect press freedom.