Independent MP Abdul Hannan Abubakar has confirmed on Tuesday that he has withdrawn the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission Bill, a proposal that had sparked significant backlash from journalists and opposition parties.

The bill, submitted to Parliament last week, sought to establish a new seven-member commission to oversee media regulation in the Maldives, replacing the existing Maldives Broadcasting Commission and Maldives Media Council.

Under the proposed framework, four members, including the president and vice president of the commission, would have been appointed by the President with parliamentary approval, while the remaining three members would have been elected by broadcasters and media outlets.

The legislation included stringent guidelines for media organizations and journalists, mandating adherence to national security, support for the legitimate government, and respect for personal privacy.

Violations of these guidelines could have resulted in fines ranging from MVR 5,000 to MVR 50,000 for media outlets, and MVR 5,000 to MVR 10,000 for individual journalists.

It also proposed penalties, such as license suspensions and demands for public apologies.

The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) and opposition parties, including the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), strongly opposed the bill.

Critics argued that the legislation represented an attack on press freedom.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, addressing the controversy during an event celebrating his administration’s first anniversary on Sunday, publicly disapproved of the bill.

He assured that the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), which holds a parliamentary supermajority, would not support the legislation.

Following President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's remarks and mounting criticism,' Voice' has learned that independent lawmaker Abdul Hannan Aboobakr has withdrawn the Media Commission Bill.