The petition calling to cut the exorbitant health insurance given to Parliament MPs and their family members has garnered more than 2,000 signatures.

Social media activist Midhuam Saud started the petition on 12th July and has amassed 2,117 as of this afternoon, with it becoming a special petition. 

According to the Parliament's e-Petition rules, when a petition reaches 2,100 signatures (0.5 percent of the voting population), sending that petition to the relevant committee of the Parliament for review becomes mandatory.

Being a special petition, which mandates debate on the floor of the Parliament, it must be brought to the government's attention, and the issue of this petition must be placed on the agenda and debated in one of the upcoming three sittings.

As the law states that MPs are to be given medical treatment, every MP receives more than MVR 1 million in health insurance.

As per the Parliamentary Privileges and Powers Act, Chapter 7 (A) of MP financial benefits states that every MP, their spouse and child below the age of 18 will be put under a medical insurance scheme where they can receive medical treatment from Maldives, SAARC countries and countries in Asia.

The act further states that past MPs will also receive medical treatment under a similar health insurance scheme for sitting MPs.

The petition calls to void all acts that state former MPs, sitting MPs and their family members can receive health insurance from Maldives, SAARC and ASEAN countries.

The petition also calls to bring about amendments so that all MPs receive the same national health insurance held by Maldivian citizens, and to make it so that any MP and their family members do not receive special health benefits that the public does not receive.