The Maldives Media Council (MMC) has urged the president not to approve the controversial media control bill, even if the parliament signs off on it, as the bill being set in motion means that the voice of the public gets silenced.

A legislation intended to oversee the media was presented in parliament, resulting in a special parliamentary session on Wednesday to prioritize it. Outside the parliament, reporters congregated to oppose the suggested law.

Notwithstanding the opposition, the legislation was approved in parliament with backing from 49 MPs aligned with the government.

The MMC conducted a press conference Wednesday evening to express its worries about the legislation. Hussain Sageef, the council president, claimed that the legislation would hinder press freedom and presents a risk of journalism falling back by several years.

Sageef, also the CEO of Thiladhun Online, stressed the significance of seeking guidance from professionals in the area when creating such laws.

As a result, he requested the bill be retracted and all additional legislative activities on it to stop.

Fathimath Nahudha Faiz, a member of the Media Council, emphasized that the bill's consequences reach beyond free speech and journalism, stressing that press freedom is fundamentally connected to the rights of the public

She noted that the bill would impact not only journalists but also regular people who use social media to express their views.

The Media Bill, if approved, would levy fines between MVR 5,000 and MVR 25,000 on individual journalists, while media organizations could encounter penalties up to MVR 100,000.

Additionally, the suggested law would empower a commission to annul media outlet registrations and halt newspaper operations prior to a complete inquiry into claimed violations. The legislation further permits the President to designate three individuals to this media oversight commission, including its head.