The executive today signaled reluctance to hand control of state media over to parliament, potentially sparking a political tug-of-war over Television Maldives (TVM) and Voice of Maldives (VOM).
The state media outlets are currently operated by the Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation (MNBC), a 100 percent government owned company established by executive decree.
However in April Parliament approved a law to establish a company called the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) to operate the state media, with nine board members appointed and answerable to the parliament.
Today the parliament appointed nine members for the MBC board. Chairman of MNBC Mohamed “Madulu” Waheed and Managing Director Ibrahim Khaleel also proposed their names, but were dropped from the shortlist by parliament.
Out of the 29 names presented, MPs approved 18 names to be shortlisted and nine of the persons were appointed as the MBC board members.
“MNBC is a company established under a resolution by the president and all its assets and land also belong to the company under a contract,” said the President’s Political Advisor Hassan Afeef today at a press conference.
”Although the MBC has been established, the MNBC will continue operating the state broadcasters. I would like to note that TVM and VOM are both channels registered under MNBC and are assets of that company.”
President Mohamed Nasheed ratified the bill establishing the MBC in April, which was originally passed by Parliament on 6 April 2010.
The government said then that it wanted the corporation to be free from political and commercial influence, and to televise public service announcements and matters of the state (such as President Nasheed’s speeches) at no cost to the government.
However today Afeef said that if the MNBC did not wish to hand the assets to MBC, there was no way they could be transferred if the MNBC did not wish to.
“If the MBC was established for the government to operate, the government would have the power to appoint people for its board,” Afeef said. “The government did not establish MBC, it was the parliament.”
Press Secretary for the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair in April that the formation of a new public broadcaster “will be best for the general public”, and that MNBC’s assets would be transferred to the new corporation.
DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom suggested at the time that President Mohamed Nasheed should “be very happy” with the way the bill was passed.
”Now the president can say he has no power over the media,” Mausoom said.
However government’s backtracking today suggest it may not be prepared to hand control of the state broadcasters to parliament so readily.
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hahaha. you guys a losing it mr. political advisor. the whole government is now putting all its energy to concentrate on holding on to mr. nasheed's presidency. no time to run the country.
ANNI is not working against CORRUPTION!
What he wanted was a SUMMARY execution for Gasim and Yameen!
If he is against corruption, first, he must charge his own corrupt party members - then only can we have any kind of faith in him.
Getting rid of his political opponents is NOT getting rid of corruption.
Don't try to compare apples and oranges, my dear President!
Anni has failed. This is a good time for current government to resign. As a reason Anni can say that he promised a mid term election.
glad the government has blocked yet another attempt by corrupt majlis members to seize powers that don't belong to them.
We voted for a presidential system, not a parliamentary system. This is ridiculous! Parliament, keep your hands off the executive powers!
I dont care what Anni said in April, if the Majlis doesn't keep its end of the bargain--neither should the executive
This is a clear indication of a dictator in the making.
Anni tried controlling parliament, failed. Now desperately trying to keep hold of the control of public media.
Even tried very hard to influence the judiciary, and that also seemed to have failed.
So far Anni seemed to have an absolute control is the police.
I wonder who is Mr.Shafraz Hafiz (DRP activitist and son of Hafiz) and Nahla (film director) to be selected for MBC board??? Are u DRP guys repeating what u having be shouting wrong to MDP?? I smell so hypo!!!!!!
DID YOU KNOW that Stalin (the Ruthless dictator of former USSR) used his police to murder his political opponents. He did this to make his power obsolete. He replaced the parliament with YES MEN,(who would agree with everything he said and did). Anyone who said no was killed!!!
Now compare this with the current situation.
Destroy Anni before he destroys this country.
Mr.Executive! Hands-off the Law making body and the Judiciary lest you become a DICK!TATOR!
ARTICLE 19- A name borrowed from article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
ARTICLE 19- Monitors, researches, publishes, lobbies, campaigns, sets standards and litigates on behalf of freedom of expression wherever it is threatened.
ARTICLE 19-Provides international human rights standards and for legislation that protects the right to speak and right to know in countries emerging from conflict, war and genocide or repression.
ARTICLE 19-Campaign to safeguard media pluralism, independence and diversity of views. Promotes the right to know of poorer communities and advocate for the implementation of freedom of information legislation to ensure transparency and strengthen citizens' participation.
According to ARTICLE 19, the Board members of a Public Service Broadcaster shall be appointed by the "parliament" in order to achieve a plural and independent and fair broadcasting environment in a country.
http://www.article19.org/about/index.html
ARTICLE 19- A name borrowed from article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
ARTICLE 19- Monitors, researches, publishes, lobbies, campaigns, sets standards and litigates on behalf of freedom of expression wherever it is threatened.
ARTICLE 19-Provides international human rights standards and for legislation that protects the right to speak and right to know in countries emerging from conflict, war and genocide or repression.
ARTICLE 19-Campaign to safeguard media pluralism, independence and diversity of views. Promotes the right to know of poorer communities and advocate for the implementation of freedom of information legislation to ensure transparency and strengthen citizens' participation.
According to ARTICLE 19, the Board members of a Public Service Broadcaster shall be appointed by the "parliament" in order to achieve a plural and independent and fair broadcasting environment in a country.
http://www.article19.org/about/index.html
ARTICLE 19- A name borrowed from article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
ARTICLE 19-Provides international human rights standards and for legislation that protects the right to speak and right to know in countries emerging from conflicts.
ARTICLE 19-Campaign to safeguard media pluralism, independence and diversity of views. They promotes the right to know of poorer communities and advocate for the implementation of freedom of information legislation to ensure transparency and strengthen citizens' participation.
According to ARTICLE 19, the Board members of a Public Service Broadcaster shall be appointed by the "parliament" in order to achieve a plural and independent and fair broadcasting environment in a country.
it is sad that qualified, educated, experienced people were not selected, and instead DRP choose people like nahula
@hafiz - Is this Nahula the local movie director OR Nahla Ali, an extremely young, inexperienced news anchor from DhiTV?
Qualifications whether technical or educational and experience can be sidelined when appointments are made through a political process. Especially in a culture like ours where intelligence and achievement is maligned.
The establishment of a meritocracy will take some time and will require the concerted effort of a wide cross-section of power players in the social, economic and political spheres of this country.
Shafraz Hafiz is an IT person that worked very closely with the former ruling family and the party they established. Dhiyana Thohir is, I assume, well-connected by being a journalist in the opposition JP's own media outfit, VTV. Nahla may or may not be an ambitious news anchor at DhiTV who completed her education in Malaysia, a country which I have often accused of doling out certifications of dubious worth. The sum of appointments made leads to the conclusion that the opposition wishes to place puppets who through their low financial standing and relative youth lack the independence to make principled stands against what the majority in parliament may dictate to them.
This country has pressing problems which squabbling politicans and the citizens who voted them into office need to focus on. For example:-
1) Growing religious extremism, which a large number of MACL employees suspect to be a contributing factor to the suicide of a young, intelligent and formerly well-adjusted youth at Male' International Airport today. Religious extremism made popular by the sexual gratification offered to the marginalized elements of the society through arranged marraige. Religious extremism which offers, as a previous commenter has noted, a vent for frustrations and hopelessness in a debased society.
2) The lucrative business of organized crime.
3) An economy which systematically denies its beneficiaries the right to an equitable distribution of wealth. Also, one which offers little hope of entry through innovation and entrepeneurship because of a poor legal framework for the banking industry to operate in.
4) A system of local governance hijacked by partisan politics. Salma Fikry and others who proposed the initial framework for the empowerment of our haphazardly scattered island communities, I believe, did so with good intentions. Now their efforts seem to be for naught. A truly sad development.
If only there was a way in which politicians in this country could find a way out of this impasse. If it means allowing certain people suspected of blue-collar cimes to go unpunished then so be it. What is important is ensuring the stability necessary for the development of our nation.
You said it hamza
Interesting blog:
Read the inside story of the CMR stunt of President Nasheed.
http://prayformaldives.blogspot.com/
Let me question why Dhiyana Thohir was selected by the Peoples Majlis for the Board of MBC??
She only have studied up to grade 10 in Southern Secondary School, worked for few years in TV Maldives as a presenter and then after her fathers (S. Hithadhoo MP in previous Khaassa Majlis & a devotee of Maumoon / DRP), she left TVM cause she wasnt comfortable in presenting the real news which was unbiased......
How could you compare this inexperienced lady with likes of Khaleel & Madulu Waheed??
The whole Majlis has gone MAD......... May be they have god MAD COW decease while trying to get rid of our President Nasheed.
Nasheed is great and by confirming that he wouldnt dissolve the MNBC, he once again has proven that the current MDP government is ONE STEP AHEAD of DRP let opposition...
Hahahahahaha
Hippavaa - Addu Atoll Hithadhoo
Bye
Oh! God! the parliament had gone insane! I watched Khaleel on TVM since I was a child, I watched khaleel presenting programs when Shafraz was a small kid so good at his singing skills. We say we are democratic, why not have these two have a debate on how they make a positive change in the organization and media! This is a joke, we cannot think of even comparing these two persons in any aspect. It is a shame for politicians to use their powers in this sense. We are just heading backwards and that is evident from recent controversial religious speeches by foreign scholars who were actually sponsored by a majority of the same politicians and activists. Brain washing the youth and causing frictions in society. Politician should concentrate their games within their boundaries. We dont need foreign scholars to teach us islam as we have more than enough. Leave experts, professionals do their job irrespective of party politics. Dr. Firidos has been the top surgeon, a DRP hardcore and Gayooms doctor. If Anni needs urgent surgery now, should this doctor give or not give his services? Relate the same question on this issue and please give it a thought. I wouldnt be surprised if tomorrow, Nasimso presently a top brass, may be chosen by parliament as the next Education Minister!
Parliamentarians must not be appointing board members to state media corporation. They are just not up to it.
Who are the parliamentarians? Aren't they elected by the people.They are too elected democratically though a direct vote. This is what we real " deboageri dhuvvun" to divert peoples attention to necessarily.It's the clear sign of governments faillier to govern & deliver its promises.This is divide and rule policy. This will not bring any good to the country.Government will lose its credibility and integrity.We are a very small society.I think the time has come for all of us to educate our society to solve problems through dialouge.Blaming games won't solve the problems.It's government's major responsibility to work for the unity instead of provoking disunity.We are Maldivians as nation at the end. We're not going to be tribes, one belongs to Anni and the to Maumoon.We are nation. Don't forget that.
Who are the parliamentarians? Aren't they elected by the people.They are too elected democratically through a direct vote. This is what we call " deboageri dhuvvun" to divert peoples attention un- necessarily.It's the clear sign of government's faillier to govern & deliver its promises.This is divide and rule policy. This will not bring any good to the country.Government will lose its credibility and integrity.We are a very small society.I think the time has come for all of us to educate our society to solve problems through dialouge.Blaming games won't solve the problems.It's government's major responsibility to work for the unity instead of provoking disunity.We are Maldivians as nation at the end. We're not going to be tribes, one belongs to Anni and the to Maumoon.We are nation. Don't forget that.
Who are the parliamentarians? Aren't they elected by the people.They are too elected democratically through a direct vote. This is what we call " deboageri dhuvvun" to divert peoples attention un- necessarily.It's the clear sign of government's faillier to govern & deliver its promises.This is divide and rule policy. This will not bring any good to the country.Government will lose its credibility and integrity.We are a very small society.I think the time has come for all of us to educate our society to solve problems through dialouge.Blaming games won't solve the problems.It's government's major responsibility to work for the unity instead of provoking disunity.We are Maldivians as a nation at the end. We're not going to be tribes, one belongs to Anni and the other to Maumoon.We are a nation. Don't forget that.