President-nominated Muaz fails committee review for Broadcom

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Ibrahim Muaz, a former spokesman for former President Abdulla Yameen, has failed in the interview process for membership at the Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom).

Muaz, who was named by President Mohamed Muizzu as one of the top candidates for the Broadcom posts, was expected to be considered for a commission role following the expiry of the terms of Chairperson Mariyam Waheeda and member Ali Yoosuf on December 5th.

As part of the appointment process, 12 candidates were submitted to Parliament in the order of priority set by the President. Muaz, alongside former MP Mohamed Abdulla, topped the president’s list.

The Independent Institutions Committee is responsible for interviewing candidates for such roles in accordance with the priority list provided by the President. Following these interviews, the committee compiles a report, which includes detailed scoring on criteria such as education, experience, vision, honesty, and overall productivity. The candidates who achieve an average score of 75% or higher are considered the most qualified and are then forwarded to Parliament for a final vote.

The report from the committee reveals the results of the interviews, with the following candidates emerging with the highest scores:

Among the presidentially nominated candidates, Mohamed Abdulla, ranked first on the President’s list, came in third with an average score of 79%. Muaz, who ranked second, scored 68%, placing him seventh overall.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has criticized the President's nominations, suggesting that the process sends a troubling message to the youth. They argue that the candidates chosen do not reflect a broad enough range of qualifications and experiences to drive the country forward.