Speaker warns MPs against leaking closed-door committee talks

Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla has today appealed to MPs to refrain from sharing publicly matters discussed in closed door committee meetings.

The Speaker made these comments following Dr Ahmed Shamheed's comments in parliament today regarding yesterday's closed Public Accounts Committee meeting with Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Governor Ahmed Munawwar.

After MP Shamheed, who sits on the Public Accounts Committee, concluded his remarks in parliament today, Speaker Abdul Raheem said that MPs must not speak about discussions held in closed committee meetings in live public sittings.

"I am bringing this to the attention of South Hulhumale' MP, who just spoke, to be cautious to not reveal close door committee discussions in public sittings even in the future," Abdul Raheem said.

"This is something we should practice even in the interests of respecting parliament regulations."

Shamheed raised a procedural point and responded that what he had shared in parliament today was statistics publicized by the MMA.

"None of that is confidential," he argued.

Shamheed did, however, share to an extent the responses of the MMA governor to questions posed to him in yesterday's committee meeting. This includes details of the situation regarding debt repayment next year.

Shamheed, and other Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs in the Public Accounts Committee objected even yesterday to holding the committee meeting with Governor Munawwar closed. However, the meeting was held closed on request of the governor, and through the votes of PNC members for a proposal to do so submitted by Funadhoo MP Mohamed Mamdhooh.