Category: News in Brief

Parliament accepts bill to amend Privileges Act to protect journalist sources

Parliament has accepted a bill to amend clauses in the Parliament Privileges Act potentially requiring journalists to reveal their sources before parliamentary committees.

Article 28 of the constitution states – “Everyone has the right to freedom of the press, and other means of communication, including the right to espouse, disseminate and publish news, information, views and ideas. No person shall be compelled to disclose the source of any information that is espoused, disseminated or published by that person.”

However Section 17(a) of the Parliamentary Privileges Act states: “[Parliament or a Parliamentary Committee has the power to] summon anyone to parliament or one of its committees to give witness or to hand over any information which the parliament wish to seek.”

Penalties for disobeying range between MVR1000-3000, and three to six months imprisonment.

The bill to amend the act was accepted for review by parliament with a 47 vote majority.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Government owes US$35.2 million in unpaid electricity bills: STELCO

The State Electric Company (STELCO) has revealed that the Maldivian government owed MVR 543 million (US$35.2 million) in unpaid electricity bills as of last month.

According to STELCO, most of the money (MVR 281 million/US$18.2 million) is owned by assorted government offices, while Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) owes MVR 37 million (US$2.4 million) and the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) owes MVR 224 (US$14.5 million).

The figures were revealed in a letter to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, and reported in Sun Online.

In the letter, the company complained that the government’s failure to pay was causing it cash flow problems and harming its ability to roll out projects.

The government has meanwhile sought parliament approval for an extension of its MVR 50 million overdraft with STELCO, prompting the committee to summon STELCO executives to explain the situation.

According to Sun, during the meeting today committee member and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ilyas Labeeb rejected the government’s request for further loans, and questioned why STELCO did not simply shut off the power to government buildings as it did with homeowners who failed to pay their bills.

STELCO, which is wholly owned by the government, is the country’s sole provider of electricity to major urban centres, such as Male’, and many inhabited islands.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Journalists important for consolidating democracy: Parliament Speaker Shahid

Journalists play an important role in consolidating democracy in the Maldives, said Parliament Speaker MP Abdulla Shahid.

Shahid made the remarks while speaking at the official inauguration of Channel News Maldives (CNM) held last night (June 3) at Trader’s Hotel in Male’.

CNM Chairman Mohamed Ali Janah, senior dignitaries of the state, reporters from various media outlets, as well as members of the Maldives Media Council and Maldives Broadcasting Corporation also attended the launch ceremony.

CNM was registered as a newspaper on 3 May 2011 at the former Department of Information.

“The saddest thing that can happen is for the legislative body to try to tie down the journalists,” said Shahid.

Shahid emphasised that the country needs journalism that adheres to proper ethical standards and conduct. He also stated that journalists must remember they have to present themselves to the public daily and the public will not accept false information.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Two Bangladeshis caught naked, arrested for alleged prostitution

Two people allegedly engaged in prostitution were arrested yesterday (June 3), reports local media.

The 19 year-old male and 25 year-old female Bangladeshi nationals were caught naked, police told local media.

After a supposed tip-off the individuals were arrested at approximately 1:30pm in Male’s Heinveiru ward from Kandufinige house, located opposite the Shaheed Ali Mosque.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Maldives turning into ‘terrorist haven’: Eurasia Review

A Nasheed government would “need external assistance to keep this strategic island nation out of the hands of Islamic extremism Wahabism and Salafism,” writes Bhaskar Roy for the Eurasia Review.

“It is known that an increasing number of youths are going to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to study in Madrassas, which impart extreme religious education and encourage jihad.

“Finances are also coming in from Saudi, Kuwaiti and other NGOs. This happened in Bangladesh in the 1990s and early 2000, leading to a burst of Islamic terrorism, which continues to haunt the country.

“A new group called the Hifazat-e-Islam, Bangladesh (HIB) recently tried to hold the government hostage, demanding Sharia Law. The Hifazat had backing from the Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) and the main opposition party. But the government in Bangladesh was strong enough to put down the challenge. This is not over, however.

“What kind of chance do the moderates in Maldives have when the Wahabis and Salafis launch their siege? In Maldives, the women and girls are increasingly taking to burkha/hijab in fear of retribution. With bans on anything remotely seen as un-Islamic, there is no breathing space or food for the mind. The Maldives is a country of around 1,200 islands, reefs and atolls, with barely 400 of them inhabitated. Around 30 per-cent of the country’s foreign exchange comes from tourism. The tourism industry is under attack with alcohol being prohibited in most places, extending gradually to tourist resorts. When dress codes are extended to tourist resorts, this industry will die.

“The strength of religious extremist groups lies in keeping the people poor, uneducated and unenlightened. Men from such backgrounds easily become soldiers of religious jihad as is seen in Pakistan, for example.

“The Maldives, under the current disposition, has all the potential to become a sanctuary for jihadists. If Waheed wins the elections later this year, India will become one of the jihadi targets. People in Maldives have links with the Al Qaeda and Pakistani organisations, like the LeT. Islamic extremism today is no longer handled by individual organisations. They have become an industry with organisations supporting each other. Lone-wolf terrorism that was recently witnessed in UK and France is a new challenge.

Read more

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

President meets Commonwealth special envoy, US ambassador in Male’ yesterday

The Commonwealth Secretary General’s special envoy Sir Donald McKinnon met President Dr Mohamed Waheed in Male’ yesterday as part of a “courtesy call” to discuss issues including efforts to ensure free and fair elections later this year.

The meeting was held the same day that the president also met with Ambassador of the United States accredited to the Maldives Michele J Sison to discuss political and economic stability, as well as the importance of having international election observers in the country.

According to the President’s Office website, during yesterday’s meeting with McKinnon, Dr Waheed also spoke of the need for “political reform” in the Maldives. The Commonwealth meanwhile said it would look to extend its support to the Maldives’ electoral process.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Military dismisses alleged planner of Afrasheem murder

The Maldives National Defence force (MNDF) has dismissed Corporal Azleef Rauf over his alleged involvement in planning the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali.

Azleef was dismissed for “disorderly conduct”, as well as “repeated actions that would harm the reputation and dignity of the armed forces”, according to the MNDF.

Azleef was arrested in relation to the Afrasheem murder case on May 23, and during a recent court hearing to extend his detention period, police accused him of terrorism, intimidation, gang crimes, operation of gangs, and using gangs to plan crimes, according to local media.

The prime suspect in the Afrasheem case, Hussain Humam Ahmed, accused Azleef of planning the murder of the MP during a recent Criminal Court hearing.

Additionally, Azleef was also previously apprehended for mugging, according to local media.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President Waheed departs for Palestine visit

President Dr Mohamed Waheed has today departed on an official visit to Palestine where he will this week chair the 4th International Islamic Conference of Bait Al Maqdis.

Dr Waheed, who was accompanied by his wife Ilham Hussain, will also use the visit to discuss bilateral relations with the Palestinian government, according to the president’s Office website.

President Waheed was officially invited by his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas to attend the Islamic conference as guest of honour back in April.

His invitation was personally delivered at the time by the Ambassador of Palestine accredited to the Maldives, Dr Anwar Al-Agha.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Three lost divers found unharmed

Three people reported missing while scuba diving near Alimatha Resort in Vaavu Atoll on Saturday (June 1) have been found, local media has reported.

The divers were found “not too far” from the resort around 9:00pm on Saturday and had not sustained any injuries, a spokesperson for Alimatha told Sun Online.

The three individuals – two tourists from Dubai and a dive instructor from Italy – were first reported missing after going for a dive at a reef called ‘Bolikey Faru’.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard aided the resort’s search.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)