24-Hour Citizen Complaints Bureau to Be Established at President’s Office

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced that a 24-hour Citizen Complaints Bureau will be established at the President’s Office, with services expected to begin within the next five months.

The President made the announcement while delivering the Presidential Address at the first sitting of the first session of the 20th People’s Majlis for 2026. He said the initiative reflects the Government’s commitment to working more closely with citizens and strengthening mechanisms to listen to public concerns.

According to the President, the Bureau’s primary responsibility will be to manage citizens’ complaints through a fully digitalised system. Complaints will be received through multiple channels, including letters, email, the Rayyithunge Adu portal, the GEM messaging platform, telephone calls, social media platforms, and other communication channels. The Bureau will coordinate responses through relevant government institutions.

He also announced that an artificial intelligence-based digital system will be developed to manage and track complaints more efficiently.

Providing an update on the Government’s broader digitisation agenda, President Muizzu said improving public service delivery and establishing a modern digital governance system remain among the Administration’s top priorities this year. He said these efforts are guided by principles of good governance and aim to create a reliable and efficient service delivery system for both citizens and public servants.

The President highlighted Maldives 2.0, launched in May 2025, which aims to strengthen cybersecurity, enable trusted digital transactions through internationally compliant digital identity systems, ensure secure data sharing across government institutions, and establish the Maldives Data Exchange.

He said that over the next three years, the Government plans to develop a digitally advanced generation, establish a Sovereign Cloud for secure data storage and archiving, and deliver citizen-focused, fully digitised government services through a single integrated platform.

President Muizzu also said the national roadmap for digital transformation has been developed and approved by the Cabinet. He announced that the Digital Transformation Bill, the Digital Identity Bill, and the Cybersecurity Bill will be submitted to the People’s Majlis during the current session.

In addition, he said Maldives 2.0 aims to establish a comprehensive civil registration network by the end of the year, positioning the Maldives as a leading provider of civil registration services. He added that the Maldivian citizenship card will be upgraded to a smart card.

Reiterating his view that digitised governance systems are essential to reducing corruption, the President said the Administration is making sustained efforts to address corruption. He said several legislative proposals are being prepared for submission to parliament, including amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act, the Asset Recovery Bill, and the Criminal Procedure Code.

President Muizzu also said that proposed amendments to criminalise illicit enrichment under the Penal Code, along with the Evidence Act Amendment Bill currently under review by a parliamentary committee, are expected to strengthen efforts to combat corruption.