Info denial complaints hike to alarming level, commissioner warns

Information Commissioner Ahidh Rasheed has said that there are more complaints of denial of information received in the last 16 months than in the last seven years.

Speaking at a session of journalists’ conference organised by the Media Council (MMC), Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom) and Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) on Thursday to mark Press Freedom Day, Ahidh expressed concern over the lack of proper implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the Maldives.

Ahidh said that since he took over as information commissioner in September 2021, there has been an increase in the number of agencies not disclosing information to a worrying level. He said the commission has received a large number of complaints of non-receipt of information in the last 16 months.

"Starting from 2022 till now, the number of complaints that have come to me regarding withheld information from the agencies is much higher than the number of complaints received by the information commissioner in the previous seven years. We are talking about 16 months," said Ahidh.

One of the reasons for the increase in the number of complaints, Ahidh said, was the increase in the number of journalists and the general public asking for information. However, there were more cases of non-disclosure than expected.

Another issue that Ahidh was concerned about was that when information was sought, the agencies did not respond to it. He said 80% of the complaints received by the commission were due to no response from the agencies.

Ahidh said that the Right to Information Act in the Maldives is very good compared at global levels. Even so, if the law is not implemented, there will be no point in it, Ahidh said.

"What we say when we talk about other laws is that no matter how good a law is written on paper and passed, it is a waste if it is not functioning properly. Such signs have started showing up in the right to information," said Ahidh.