The petition calling to cut the exorbitant health insurance given to Parliament MPs and their family members has garnered more than 5,000 signatures.

Social media activist Midhuam Saud started the petition on 12th July and has amassed more than 5,000 signatures as of yet, with it becoming a special petition once it had passed the 2,100 signature mark.

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.

After a debate is held on the Parliament floor, a vote is called for the Parliament to accept the petition. If the vote passes, the petition is sent to the relevant committee, with the committee coming to a decision on their answer or on how to act and then send it back to the Parliament floor.

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 placed 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.