Proposed amendment to Decentralization Act is a land-grabbing bill; it would be more appropriate to debate this legislation in Israeli parliament: Mauroof

Mauroof Zakir, the Member of Parliament for the Kendhoo constituency, has characterized a proposed amendment to the Decentralization Act as a "land-grabbing bill." The amendment seeks to grant the government authority to remove lands and sites from the jurisdiction of local councils and cities to facilitate state development projects. Zakir asserted that such legislation would be more appropriately debated on the floor of the Israeli Parliament.

During Wednesday's People's Majlis sitting, the Decentralization Committee presented its report following the review of a bill submitted by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru. Debating the report, MP Mauroof characterized the proposed legislation as an attempt to seize land from the Maldivian people.

The member stated that a debate on such a bill would be more appropriate on the floor of the Israeli Knesset rather than in the Parliament of the Maldives.

The proposed amendment to the Decentralization Act is a land-grabbing measure. This is not the kind of legislation that should even be debated in the People’s Majlis of the Maldives. It is the type of bill more suited for debate in the Israeli parliament. This land-grabbing bill is an attempt to strip local councils of their authority and seize power from the people. Therefore, this is not a matter for the parliament of a nation like the Maldives; as I mentioned before, it would be more appropriate to discuss such a bill on the floor of the Israeli Knesset.

Mauroof Zakir

The Decentralization Committee reviewed the bill without considering the public's concerns or the petition calling for the rejection of the proposed amendments to the Decentralization Act. During the committee meeting held on Monday night, the bill submitted by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru was passed with several amendments.

During the meeting, Ahmed Aifan, the PNC Member of Parliament for North Henveiru, proposed an amendment requiring the Ministry of Finance to provide fair compensation to councils or third parties in instances where land or property is removed from a council's jurisdiction. This compensation would apply to investments legally made by the council or a third party on such premises.

While the committee passed the member's proposal by a majority vote, it was opposed by Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir and Keyodhoo MP Mohamed Niushad of the opposition MDP, along with independent member for Addu Meedhoo, Abdul Rahman.

Furthermore, an additional subsection has been inserted following subsection (l) of Section 56-2 of the Act.

As the committee approved these amendments and forwarded the bill to the floor, the MDP member for the Kendhoo constituency highlighted that a petition regarding the legislation had previously been submitted to Parliament. He noted that the Petition Committee had requested the Decentralization Committee's input on the matter. The member argued that if the bill's work is concluded without considering such a petition, it would render the entire process of allowing citizens to submit petitions to Parliament meaningless.

The member stated that the situation was unacceptable and could not be allowed to proceed in such a manner. Consequently, the member proposed that the bill's progress should only continue after taking the petition into consideration. However, the committee, which holds a PNC majority, rejected the proposal.

As the committee continues its review of the bill sponsored by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannaan Aboobakuru, MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu), the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) representative for North Galolhu, has proposed several amendments to the legislation.