A 28-year-old Maldivian man has been reported missing in Malaysia.
Hamdhan Mohamed, from Malé City, checked onto a flight on Thursday at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to return to the Maldives.
However, his luggage was offloaded when he failed to board the flight, local media have reported.
The Maldivian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and the Malaysian authorities are searching for the man, Haveeru said.
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(0)The Prosecutor General’s Office has presented witnesses in the alcohol possession trial against tourism tycoon and MP for Meedhoo constituency MP Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam.
Two Customs Services officers who checked Shiyam’s bag in March 2012 at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport testified to finding an alcohol bottle in his luggage at the Criminal Court today, local media has reported.
A Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) staff member who handled the luggage said they were not aware an alcohol bottle was in the bag when they took it for screening. The staff said the bag was unlocked and it was possible for someone to have put the bottle in the bag.
Two police officers who carried out forensic tests on the bottle testified that the substance in the bottle is alcohol.
Shiyam has denied charges, claiming he is being framed.
The penalty for alcohol possession in the penal code is either a fine of between MVR1,000 to MVR3,000, or imprisonment, banishment or house arrest for up to three years.
Under Article 73 of the constitution, an MP convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to more than one year in prison will lose his or her seat in parliament.
The case has garnered controversy after Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed took over the case from Judge Ahmed Sameer following a complaint by Shiyam in which he said Judge Aziz’s “hand gestures and facial expressions” indicated a personal grudge against him which could lead to an unfair trial.
The MP for Dhaal Meedhoo is the leader of Maldives Development Alliance – which has 7,537 registered members and five MPs – and is founder of the Sun Travel and Tours company.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) is investigating cable TV provider Medianet on suspicion of rebroadcasting ongoing FIFA World Cup football matches without broadcasting rights.
Speaking to news agency Haveeru, MBC Secretary General Noora Ali said the commission was not aware that a special channel set up by Media Net – called ‘Ice’ – had the proper rights to air World Cup matches.
Only the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation’s TVM and private broadcaster Villa TV (VTV) are licensed to broadcast the matches, she said.
Medianet had charged an extra MVR100 from its customers to gain access to Ice.
According to Haveeru, Medianet has now stopped airing Ice. Instead, it is broadcasting World Cup matches through India’s Sony Six channel. Customers will have to pay an additional fee to view the channel, Haveeru said.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Health Ministry has announced it will employ 47 midwives as part of a plan to improve maternal and child health services in the islands.
The Health Ministry said 90 applicants, including individuals aged between 55 and 65 years of age, have applied for the positions. All applicants are required to have completed a certificate course in midwifery.
The government says it plans to have at least one midwife on every island.
(0)Dislikes(0)The government has proposed amendments to four key laws, claiming articles in the acts contravened provisions in the current constitution.
The amendments submitted to the People’s Majlis includes the Anti- Corruption Act, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives Act, the Police Act, and the Audit Act. The government did not reveal details of the amendments.
The government has previously submitted amendments to the Immigration Act, and the Protection of Child Rights Act on Tuesday.
These laws were enacted under the old constitution and are to be amended to ensure rights guaranteed in the constitution are enshrined in old laws.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Prosecutor General’s Office has appealed a Criminal Court decision to release an alleged black magic practitioner from pre-trial detention.
The black magic practitioner, locally known as Fandithaveriya, was caught nude with a man and a woman in a shop called Dhanaal in Malé City on December 29.
According to news agency Haveeru, the man and woman were having sex on the instructions of the Fandithaveriya when they were arrested.
An appeal hearing was held on Wednesday. The case is ongoing at the High Court.
(0)Dislikes(0)Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has pledged to spend MVR10 million on mosque repair in the Maldives for the Islamic month of Ramadan.
Speaking to news agency Haveeru, Shaheem said the ministry had handed over MVR800,000 to the Malé City Council to repair 22 mosques in the capital.
The announcement comes after the council had expressed concern over the ministry’s failure to release funds.
“So far, we have released funds for 100 mosques. In the past two weeks, we have spent approximately MVR4 million for mosque repair,” Shaheem said.
Funds will be spent to replace fans, repair sound systems, and renovate toilets and minarets, he said.
Shaheem also noted difficulties in repairing the domed roof of the Hulhumalé mosque. The Qatar government has pledged US$100,000 for the job and released US$50,000 so far, he said.
The Islamic minister also expressed concern over the delays in construction of Furugaan Mosque on Ameenee Magu in Malé. He said eight years has passed since construction began, but expressed confidence the mosque would be opened for Ramadan.
(0)Dislikes(0)Total revenue collected by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) in May increased 59.9 percent compared to the same period last year.
According to MIRA’s monthly revenue collection report, government income in May reached MVR800.9 million (US$38.7 million), which was also 5.9 percent higher than the forecast for the month.
“Pursuant to the fourth amendment to the Tourism Act, the majority of the first instalment of the Lease Period Extension Fee was paid in May 2014,” the report explained.
“This is a one-time fee spread over eight quarterly instalments starting from May 2014 and was not collected in May 2013.”
In February, parliament passed an amendment to the Tourism Act requiring the lease period extension fee to be paid within two years as part of the current administration’s revenue raising measures.
(0)Dislikes(0)The President’s Office has re-opened a call for applicants for the position of Information Commission and opened a call for applicants for membership of the Police Integrity Commission (PIC).
The President’s Office said it had re-opened the call for Information Commissioner because only one applicant had answered the first call for applications in May.
The Information Commissioner position is a newly created independent office established by the landmark Right to Information Act.
The Act mandates President Abdulla Yameen to submit nominations for the post within 15 days of the Act coming into force on July 12. The People’s Majlis has to approve a nominee within 30 days of submission.
The call for applications will expire on June 22.
The PIC vacancy was caused by PIC member Dr Hala Hameed’s resignation earlier this year. Hala was appointed as State Minister for Health and Gender.
The call for applicants or PIC membership will expire on June 30.
Both applications are available on the President’s Office website.
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