Petition to scrap MPs' health insurance sent to Finance Committee

A petition calling for the cancellation of the expensive health insurance scheme for members of the People's Majlis has been forwarded to the Finance Committee for advice. The petition, submitted by social media activist Miduham Saud, received 7,225 signatures, making it the second most-signed e-petition in parliamentary history. During a meeting of the Petitions Committee, Madaveli MP Mohamed Shameez proposed seeking the Finance Committee's opinion on the matter, seconded by Ungoofaaru MP Ibrahim Shifaz. The committee approved the motion. The petition argues that providing a premium health insurance scheme for MPs and former MPs using public funds is excessive and not practiced even in much wealthier nations. It calls for amending the privileges law so that all MPs and their families are covered only under the same national health insurance as ordinary citizens.