Committee to charge 3 MPs over damaged microphone

The Parliament’s Ethics Committee has decided to charge three Members of Parliament over the damage of a microphone during a meeting of the Independent Institutions Committee last month.

The incident occurred on 15 September, during the committee’s discussion on the media regulation bill. According to accounts of the meeting, Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who is not a member of the committee, turned on a committee microphone and began to speak.

Henveiru South MP Hussain Imran Latheef of the People’s National Congress (PNC) objected, stating that non-members were not permitted to speak during committee proceedings, and attempted to pull the microphone away. Thoddoo MP Hussain Sameer, also from the MDP, intervened to prevent the removal. The microphone was damaged during the altercation.

Following the incident, the matter was referred to the Privileges and Ethics Committee. After the parliamentary office assessed the cost of the damage, Madaveli MP Mohamed Shameez of the PNC moved a proposal to charge the three MPs involved. The motion was seconded by Kinbidhoo MP Ali Ashrag.

Committee members confirmed that the Ethics Committee adopted the proposal on Monday, deciding to pursue disciplinary action against the three MPs who were involved in the incident.

The meeting where the microphone was damaged also saw the media regulation bill passed without a decision on a petition calling for its withdrawal. Journalists who had entered the committee room protested the decision.

Two earlier meetings on the bill were held behind closed doors, drawing criticism from journalists and media representatives who had gathered outside the Parliament building to oppose the secrecy.

The new Media Regulation Act, passed later that day, establishes a media commission appointed by Parliament to oversee media standards and licensing. Critics have argued that the structure of the commission could allow undue influence over the media sector.