Zamath elected as vice president of Media Commission

Zamath Ahmed Waheed, a former member of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom), has been elected as the vice president of the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (MMBC) – a new commission created under a contentious new law that led to the dissolution of BroadCom and Maldives Media Council (MMC).

The seven-member MMBC is composed of three members appointed by the Parliament and four elected by registered medias – two of whom represent broadcasters and two who represent online medias. The legislative assembly is also empowered to appoint the commission’s chairperson.

And all members, including those elected by medias, can be dismissed by the Parliament, in which the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) enjoys a supermajority.

Zamath was elected as the vice president of MMBC on Tuesday in a tight 4-3 vote against Hussain Sageef, the former president of MMC.

Both Zamath and Sageef are among the four members who won their seats at the MMBC by default, after running unopposed in an election boycotted by many mainstream media outlets.

The appointment of Zamath as the vice president of MMBC comes a day after the Parliament voted to appoint Mohamed Farushath as the head of the commission.

The seven-member MMBC is composed of:

• Mohamed Farusath, president
• Zamath Ahmed Waheed, vice president
•  Safa Shafeeq
•  Aminath Sarahath Izzath
• Hussain Sageef
• Simaha Naseem
• Abdul Azeez Ibrahim

While journalists continue to protest against the new law as a direct threat to press freedom and a crackdown on dissent, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration touts it as important legislature that protects people from defamation, disinformation and misinformation, and paves the path for accountability in the media field.