Press freedom in the Maldives will backslide by several years if the proposed bill to create a government-controlled media commission is approved, the Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) warned today.

In a press release, MJA said the bill would severely restrict the constitutional right to freedom of the press and impose serious obstacles on the work of journalists.

"The media will lose their power to self-regulate and instead the government’s influence and power will penetrate heavily into the media, causing press freedom in the country to backslide by several years," the press release stated.

MJA said it had always believed that the media should have the right to self-regulate as the key function of the press is to monitor and hold the government and authorities accountable.

The press release noted that it does not make sense to let the government manage matters related to the media while the media's role is to ensure accountability of the government.

MJA expressed concern as the government's influence in the past has always led to heavy fines and the closure of some media outlets and stressed that the self-regulatory system is successful in other democratic countries.

The association also noted that neither MP Abdul Hannaan Abubakuru who proposed the bill nor the government sought the advice of the MJA and senior members of the media in drafting the bill.

“The bill proposed by Independent MP Abdul Hannaan Abubakuru of the Thulhaadhoo Constituency will undermine all these principles and is a threat to freedom of the press," the MJA said.

MJA said two-thirds of the new commission should be representative of various media outlets, editors, senior and junior journalists, media and civil society organisations.

The association also said it would not support the establishment of a media regulatory commission to empower the state and government.