18 hours later: Govt ministers unite to hit back at Solih over media bill criticism

Several members of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet hit back at former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih with near-simultaneous replies on X on Wednesday, 18 hours after the politician used the social media platform to criticized the passage of a contentious media bill that seeks to replace the existing self-regulatory system with a government-controlled commission.

 On August 18, Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakr, an independent lawmaker aligned with the government, submitted a bill that seeks to dissolve the Maldives Media Council (MMC) and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom), replacing them with a single regulatory body — a seven-member Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (MMBC).

The bill, widely panned both local and international journalism groups for its vague and ambiguous terminology, is openly backed by the People’s National Congress (PNC) administration.

The Parliament worked through recess on the bill, and the PNC used its supermajority to ensure its passage with a majority vote of 60-1 in an extraordinary sitting on Tuesday, amid protests both within and outside the Parliament – the former of which led to several parliamentarians from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) getting forcibly removed from the chambers.

In a post on X around 08:00 pm on Wednesday, Solih described it as “a sad day for democracy in the Maldives.”

He warned that the contentious legislature signifies “the end of press freedom” in the Maldives, and condemned the rushed passage of the bill despite widespread concerns over its implications.

“The underhanded manner in which it was forced through parliament, despite protests by journalists, opposition parties, media organizations, civil society, and the public, lays bare the government’s disregard for Maldivians’ democratic rights,” he wrote in a post on X on Tuesday night.

Solih added that his party, the MDP, will not give up its fight against the bill.

A sad day for democracy in the Maldives!

President Muizzu, using his party’s supermajority in parliament, has rushed through the so-called Media Control Bill—a law that signifies the end of press freedom in Maldives. The underhanded manner in which it was forced through…

— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) September 16, 2025

Members of President Muizzu’s cabinet began responding to his post at around 01:30 pm on Wednesday, nearly 18 hours after Solih wrote the post. At least seven cabinet ministers replied to Solih in near-unison, defending the bill and criticizing the former Maldivian leader's own policies.

Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim responded that this is not the end of press freedom, but the end of impunity.

“The Media Bill ensures accountability, responsibility, and protection for the public values any true democracy upholds. Misleading the public with fearmongering does not serve Maldivians,” he wrote.

This is not the end of press freedom. It is the end of impunity. The Media Bill ensures accountability, responsibility, and protection for the public values any true democracy upholds. Misleading the public with fearmongering does not serve Maldivians.

— Abdulla Nazim (@ANazim2019) September 17, 2025

Defense Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon insisted the bill went through proper parliamentary procedure with committee review, as stipulated by law.

“Media organizations have direct representation,” he added.

The bill went through proper parliamentary procedure with committee review, as stipulated by law. Media organizations have direct representation.

— Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon (@mgmaumoon) September 17, 2025

Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muthalib responded that in Islam, human dignity is above all.

“This bill is about protecting citizens from harm, safeguarding truth, and ensuring freedoms are exercised responsibly. It does not restrict press freedom when exercised in line with journalistic standards,” he wrote.

In Islam, human dignity is held above all.
This bill is about protecting citizens from harm, safeguarding truth, and ensuring freedoms are exercised responsibly. It does not restrict press freedom when exercised in line with journalistic standards.

— Abdulla Muththalib (@muththo) September 17, 2025

Home Minister Ali Ihusan insisted that the bill protects democratic norms and protects the rights of people, while giving the press “clearer powers and safeguards.”

He also said that it followed “a deliberative process that our public deserves.”

Ihusan also criticized questionable legislative changes made during Solih’s own tenure.

“This is a marked improvement from your tenure, when measures like the 2022 Evidence Act were pushed through despite media outcry and even a constitutional amendment sped through multiple readings in a single day,” he wrote.

Ihusan insisted that the PNC’s administration’s actions are different.

“Today’s approach is consultation over haste, strengthening, not weakening, our democracy,” he wrote.

The Media Regulation Bill upholds democratic norms, protecting others’ rights while giving the press clearer powers and safeguards. It also follows a deliberative process that our public deserves. This is a marked improvement from your tenure, when measures like the 2022 Evidence…

— Minister of Homeland Security & Technology (@min_mohst) September 17, 2025

Social and Family Development Minister Dr. Aishath Shiham said the bill ensures responsible journalism, and protects the public from misinformation.

“Our priority is social cohesion and stability of our communities. This bill will ensure accurate reporting and safeguard our citizens,” she wrote.

Media Bill ensures responsible journalism, and protection of the public from misinformation. Our priority is social cohesion and stability of our communities. This bill will ensure accurate reporting and safeguard our citizens.

— Aishath Shiham (@aishathshiham) September 17, 2025

Finance Minister Moosa Zameer said that democracy thrives when there’s accountability across all sectors, and that the media bill is designed to ensure transparency, responsibility, and faireness.

“The media bill is designed to ensure transparency, responsibility, and fairness—values essential not just for media but also for good governance, economic stability, and national planning. Building investor confidence and sustainable growth requires institutions that respect both rights and responsibilities,” he wrote. Constructive dialogue is welcome—but misleading rhetoric only divides.”

Democracy thrives when there is accountability across all sectors.

The media bill is designed to ensure transparency, responsibility, and fairness—values essential not just for media but also for good governance, economic stability, and national planning. Building investor…

— Moosa Zameer (@MoosaZameer) September 17, 2025

Sports Minister Abdulla Rafiu said the bill marks an important step towards strengthening Maldives’ media landscape.

“It provides a framework that ensures accountability, transparency, and professionalism in journalism, while safeguarding the fundamental freedom of the press,” he wrote.

The Media Regulation Bill marks an important step towards strengthening our media landscape. It provides a framework that ensures accountability, transparency, and professionalism in journalism, while safeguarding the fundamental freedom of the press.

— Abdulla Rafiu (@AbdhullahRafiu) September 17, 2025

The passage of the contentious bill had come just hours after a petition signed by 151 journalists from 41 different media outlets demanding the withdrawal of the bill was rejected by the Petitions Committee, which decided that the concerns raised in the petition had been properly addressed in the amendments made during the review by the Independent Institutions Committee.

While some of the contentious provisions in the bill were amended before it passed the final floor vote, journalists call these as superficial changes that fail to address the threat the bill poses, with vague terminology such as “refraining from leaning towards a specific political ideology”, “upholding national security”, “upholding the legitimate government”, and “protecting the dignity and private lives of individuals”, “differentiating between facts and personal opinions shared by individuals that are based on facts”, and “potential threats to the religion of Islam, national security, public order or public health”.

While journalist describe the bill as a direct threat to press freedom, free speech, and an attempt to stamp out all voices of dissent, the PNC administration touts it as important legislature that protects people from defamation, disinformation and misinformation, and paves the path for accountability in the media field.