Petitions to reform Parliament receiving huge support as petitioning gains ground

Since the introduction of the electronic petition system, or e-petition, by the Parliament, public engagement has increased significantly, with petitions calling for parliamentary reforms attracting considerable attention.

The most widely supported petition to date calls to cease the costly private health insurance scheme currently provided to lawmakers, proposing instead that MPs be covered under the same insurance scheme available to the general public.

Submitted on August 12^th by social media activist Midhuam Saud, the petition has so far received more than 3,700 signatures and continues to attract additional support.

The second most-supported petition was also submitted by Midhuam and calls for the withdrawal of a proposal by independently elected Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru, who maintains close ties with the government, to grant the Cabinet authority to repossess land under the jurisdiction of local councils. The petition has received 2,307 signatures and is currently being scheduled for parliamentary debate, with expectations that it could be tabled as early as tomorrow.

The petition calling for an end to premium health insurance for MPs states that approximately MVR 100 million has been spent on parliamentary health insurance over the past decade. It also notes that the cost continues to rise annually, as former MPs are entitled to lifelong coverage under the scheme.

The petition argues that providing MPs with a level of health coverage not available to the general public is inconsistent with mature political systems and is not a practice followed even by wealthier nations. It proposes that MPs instead focus on strengthening and improving the national health insurance scheme, Aasandha.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Jalal Naseem submitted a petition in February calling for the public to be granted the authority to remove MPs. Although the petition has obtained the five initial signatures required for publication, it has yet to be published on the e-petition portal.

The development comes after Parliament’s General Purpose Committee on Monday approved an amendment to the Standing Orders allowing the submission of counter-petitions against previously filed petitions. The amendment, proposed by PNC Member for Funadhoo constituency Mohamed Mamdhooh Younus, is scheduled to be put to a vote during today’s parliamentary sitting.