Parliament Accepts Three Key Bills

The Maldives Parliament convened yesterday to address several crucial legislative matters, accepting three significant bills in the process.

These included amendments to the Penal Code aimed at legally defining and criminalising cybercrime, alongside amendments to the Higher Education and Training Act, and the Copyright Act and related rights.

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Following debate and deliberation, all three bills received unanimous support from the parliamentarians present. The cybercrime bill, championed by Maafushi MP Hussain Riza Adam on behalf of the government, outlined ten specific acts constituting cybercrime. These acts ranged from unauthorized access to computer systems to acts of cyber violence and copyright infringement.

In a show of unity, all 81 members who voted on the cybercrime bill endorsed the amendment, forwarding it to the Judiciary Committee for further scrutiny. Similarly, the remaining two bills received approval, with 82 members casting unanimous votes in favour. The amendment to the Higher Education Act, proposed by South-Maafannu MP Abdulla Rifau, aimed to enhance higher education opportunities and bolster local university infrastructure.

During Monday’s sitting, Nilandhoo MP Fathimath Saudha introduced amendments to the Copyright Act, emphasising protections for intellectual property rights. The amendments sought to safeguard copyrights across various forms of media, extending protection periods and introducing penalties of between MVR 50,000 and MVR 300,000 for infringements, depending on the severity.

MP Saudha highlighted the amendments’ potential to expand copyright protections and foster creativity within the local arts sector, enabling artists to compete in global markets. The bills have now been referred to relevant parliamentary committees — the Judiciary Committee, the Economic Affairs Committee, and the National Development and Heritage Committee — for comprehensive review and recommendations before potential final passage into law.