MDP hints at rejecting Adam Shareef's appointment over censorship

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which has a clear majority in the parliament, hinted on Friday that it may not approve the appointment of Adam Shareef as the local government minister, whose mandate is to oversee the functioning of the Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM), over the blocking of anti-government websites.

The mandate of Adam Shareef's ministry includes CAM, which has blocked access to three anti-government news websites since Thursday evening, a week after the government began blocking porn sites. It has been condemned by the public, political parties and associations as an act of obstruction of freedom of expression.

MDP chairperson Fayyaz Ismail condemned Adam Shareef in a post on X on Friday evening. 

Fayyaz said that Adam Shareef was the defence minister in the government of former President Abdulla Yameen when the then government ordered troops to block the entry of opposition MPs into the parliament chambers. 

"Now he has started trying to destroy freedom of expression through CAM... I don't see any reason to approve [his appointment]," Fayyaz said.

In a separate post on X, Fayyaz said that banning anti-government websites is very alarming and concerning.

"It is now very clear and apparent that the only thing keeping in check widespread tyranny is the lack of a gov majority in Parliament. The outlook is bleak and dangerous," the former economic minister said.

Parliament is yet to approve the cabinet appointments made by new President Mohamed Muizzu after his inauguration on November 17.

A vote on the cabinet appointments last week was delayed as Speaker Mohamed Aslam accepted a point of order stating that the report prepared by the government oversight committee after the review of the appointments is incomplete.

The parliament has extended its third and final term of the year till December 28 to allow the vote on cabinet appointments to proceed before it goes on recess.