The Parliament on Tuesday officially approved the appointment of three members to the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission, marking a significant step in the formation of the newly established regulatory body.
The approved candidates, who were also endorsed by the relevant parliamentary committee, will join the seven-member commission.
The selection process saw ten candidates vying for the three parliamentary-appointed positions. Following interviews conducted by the parliamentary Independent Institutions Committee, eight candidates were considered, with three ultimately receiving approval and advancing to a parliamentary vote. The committee's recommendations, based on achieving over 75 percent marks, were sent to the Parliament floor for deliberation.
The three individuals who secured parliamentary approval, each receiving 54 votes, are former Broadcasting Commission Chairperson Safa Shafeeq, and members Aminath Sarahath Izzath and Mohamed Farshath.
With these appointments, the Parliament has now filled its three designated seats on the seven-member commission. The remaining four members have already been elected unopposed, representing broadcasters and other media outlets. Abdul Azeez Ibrahim and Zam’ath Ahmed Waheed will represent broadcasters, while Simaha Naseem and Hussain Sageef have been appointed as representatives for other media.
The newly formed Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission, established under the recently enacted Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act, will assume the combined responsibilities of the former Maldives Media Council (MMC) and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom).
All documentation and archives pertaining to newspapers and magazines currently registered with the relevant government ministry will be transferred to the new commission. Moving forward, new media and broadcasters will be required to apply for registration directly with this commission, rather than the relevant ministry.