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Media attempts to discredit president: Suood 15 February 2009 Aishath ShazraProminent human rights lawyer Husnu Suood has described recent press coverage on the abolition of the Male' municipal register as misinformation spread to discredit the president. Contrary to comments carried by some media outlets today, Suood said it was him and not the president who introduced the discussion on the abolition of the register. Khaasa Dhaftharu or the Male' municipality register was created in February 1987 to give addresses to Male' residents without permanent homes. With the adoption of the Land and Residency Act, islanders who had lived in Male' for five years, were also allowed to register for addresses at the municipality. The Act further enabled islanders to become eligible for land in the Male' area; at present, there are 7,318 people on the register. The president was said to have made the statement about the abolition of the register in a speech last night at an event to provide information on the draft bill on decentralisation of the seven administrative provinces. Reality check On the error, Mohamed Zuhair, the press secretary at the president's office, said, "We are actually transcribing the president's speech now and will release it so people can realise the president did not make those comments." According to Zuhair, President Mohamed Nasheed discussed the appointment of councillors on an interim basis, saying the move was not unconstitutional, as they would be replaced by elected councillors following the local elections later this year. Speaking at the event, President Nasheed said one of the main reasons people voted for a change in the Maldives was because the country lacked basic services. "We have no other option but to go forward with the decentralisation process," he said. Free to move Elaborating on his comments about the abolition of the Male' municipality register, Suood said the idea was for Maldivians to be able to move around freely within the country and take up residence on any island. "In order to deconcentrate the capital, we have to abolish barriers for people to move wherever they want. Right now a person has to stay on any island for five years to become an 'islander' of that place. We are all one nationality, so why should there be restrictions in taking up residence in any island?" Suood said the draft bill on decentralisation proposes that any Maldivian should be eligible for land on any island provided he can show evidence of residence on that island. "People in one province," he said, "can apply for land in another province easily." He added that at present, islanders register at the Male' municipality to be eligible for land in the Male' area. "They lose their identity, their island name and their permanent residence. If we abolish that," he said, "everyone can retain their identity and apply for land anywhere in the Maldives." On the distribution process, Suood said natives of an island could be given "something like an extra ten points" when awarding plots of land to ensure they had an advantage over other islanders. "But," he said, "it's wrong to forbid another islander to be eligible for land; they have to have a chance." The draft bill on decentralisation is expected to be submitted to the Majlis before 1 March.
