Majlis removes bill to criminalise economic damage from agenda

The People's Majlis has removed from today's agenda a government-submitted bill that sought to make acts damaging the country's economy a criminal offence under the Penal Code (Qanoonul Ugoobath). The bill, which was scheduled for its first reading after being listed on the agenda announced yesterday, was proposed by Maafannu Dhekunu constituency MP Abdulla Rifau. It sought to criminalise actions taken with knowledge or recklessness that cause major economic damage to the state, including obstructing computer systems linked to key infrastructure, disrupting essential services, halting operations of major revenue-generating sectors, and other acts leading to significant harm to the state's economy. The bill defined major economic damage as disruption to the state's economic activities or financial and economic downturn. Under the proposed amendments, an ordinary person found guilty would face one to four years in prison, while someone in a senior state or government position would face six to ten years. An offence committed by a senior state official would be treated as a second-degree felony. The bill's removal comes amid an opposition campaign, "Dhivehin ge bin Dhivehin nah" ("Maldivian land for Maldivians"), against the allocation of land to UAE company Eagle Hills for a $20 billion project in Rasmalé.