A citizen-led petition urging the removal of special foreign health insurance privileges for Maldivian parliamentarians has gathered over 7,000 signatures, crossing the legal threshold to force an official floor debate in the People’s Majlis.
The campaign, initiated in mid-August by activist Midhuam Saud, challenges current legislation that provides lawmakers and their immediate families with state-funded medical coverage across SAARC and ASEAN regions. Organizers maintain that elected representatives should utilize the same public healthcare framework provided to ordinary citizens, describing the current arrangement as an unnecessary privilege funded by taxpayer resources.
Under parliamentary regulations, gathering signatures from at least 0.5 percent of the national population—approximately 2,100 citizens—automatically mandates a formal parliamentary debate. Having comfortably exceeded this requirement ahead of its closing deadline, the petition will now move to the Petition Committee, which must convene promptly to notify executive authorities and submit the matter to the Speaker.
Once formally served, the administration will have 30 working days to submit a response detailing its official position and any proposed legislative steps to address the public’s concerns.
