Petition Calling for Repeal of MPs’ Special Health Benefits Reaches Special Petition Threshold

An e-petition calling for the repeal of special health insurance provisions for current and former MPs and their families has surpassed 2,100 signatures, making it the second parliamentary e-petition to qualify as a Special Petition and proceed directly to the floor of the parliament.

The petition, submitted by social media activist Midhuam Saudh on August 12 and opened for public signatures on August 16, reached the general petition threshold on the same day. It crossed the Special Petition threshold on August 17 and had received 2,332 signatures as of 3pm.

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The first petition to reach the Special Petition threshold sought to withdraw proposed amendments to the Decentralisation Act, was also submitted by Midhuam, and has collected more than 2,300 signatures. Parliament has since scheduled a motion to amend its petition rules amid competing petitions over the proposed changes. 

Petition Seeks Equal Healthcare for MPs

The petition calls for the repeal of provisions requiring current MPs, former MPs and their families to receive health insurance covering the Maldives, SAARC and ASEAN countries.

It also calls for MPs to receive the same national health insurance schemes available to other Maldivians and for legislative amendments to ensure that MPs and their families do not receive special healthcare benefits funded by public money.

The petition cites Section 7(a) of the Parliamentary Privileges and Powers Act, which requires every MP, their spouse and children under 18 to be enrolled in a medical insurance scheme providing coverage in the Maldives, SAARC and ASEAN countries.

It also cites Section 8(g), which provides former MPs with medical treatment under a health insurance scheme equivalent to that provided to sitting MPs.

According to the petition, these provisions result in public funds being used to provide insurance coverage to sitting MPs, their families and former MPs.

The petition claims that around MVR 1 billion was spent on MPs’ health insurance premiums between 2015 and 2025, and argues that the cost will continue to increase as former MPs retain their healthcare benefit after leaving office.

The petition argues that MPs should instead use the same national healthcare schemes available to the public, including Aasandha and NSPA.

Petition Thresholds

Under the parliamentary e-petition system, a petition becomes a general petition after receiving signatures equivalent to 0.2 per cent of the population, currently around 856 signatures.

Once it reaches this threshold, Parliament must notify the relevant government agency within two working days. The agency must review the petition and report its decision to Parliament within 21 days, including public holidays.

A petition receiving signatures equivalent to 0.5 per cent of the population, or approximately 2,100 signatures, becomes a Special Petition.

Special Petitions are taken directly to the parliamentary floor for debate and are also referred to the relevant government agencies. Those agencies must report their decisions to Parliament within 30 days, including public holidays.

The petition will therefore proceed to the parliamentary floor after crossing the Special Petition threshold.

The petition argues that state-funded basic healthcare should be provided to citizens on equal terms and calls for the removal of what it describes as preferential healthcare benefits for MPs and their families.