Ex-PG Muizzu: Media bill’s works proceeded questionably; a new bill required

Former prosecutor general Ahmed Muizzu, on Tuesday, said the works on the controversial media control bill which the Parliament is passed today had proceeded in a questionable manner.

On August 18, Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakr, an independent lawmaker aligned with the government, submitted a bill that seeks to dissolve the Maldives Media Council (MMC) and the 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 of the Maldives 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.

The bill, widely panned both local and international journalism groups, is openly backed by the People’s National Congress (PNC) administration despite the government initially stating the bill is not linked to the government.

The Parliament went into recess on August 19, but held holding extraordinary sittings and committee meetings to work on the bill. Ultimately, the bill was passed during an extraordinary sitting held on Tuesday evening during which opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) lawmakers protested against the bill. 

Meanwhile, four amendments proposed by Fonadhoo MP Mohamed Mamdhooh, a lawmaker from PNC, passed by unanimous consensus.

The bill, along with the amendments made during the committee stage and the four amendments proposed by Mamdhooh, passed with a majority vote of 60-1. The sole dissenting vote came from Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abbas, a member of the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), who had sponsored MJA’s petition against the bill. The amendment includes the provision that allows for the commission’s president to be directly election by the Maldivian President, to have the commission’s president elected through a vote among commission members. 

Commenting on the legislature via a statement published on X, Muizzu said the Parliament was working “unusually fast” to pass the bill.

“When formulating laws, the legislative body must seek the opinion of the public to the greatest extent. They must also consult with experts in the respective fields and all stakeholders,” he added.

Muizzu expressed concern over the passage of the bill as it is. In this regard, he emphasized that it is a violation of democratic principles to expedite the passage of the bill while there are mounting concerns over its provisions.

He recommended formulating a new bill after consulting with experts in the field, such as former information minister Mohamed Nasheed.

Notably, Bar Council, which regulates the legal field, has also expressed concern over passing the bill. Both local and international organizations advocating for freedom of the press, including Maldives Media Council and Maldives Broadcasting Commission, have also raised concerns over the bill.