The Parliament has approved the appointment of former Information Commissioner Abdul Azeez Jamaal Abu-Bakur as Information Commissioner.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu submitted Abdul Azeez Jamaal Abu-Bakur’s name to the Parliament for appointment as Information Commissioner on 23 August.
His nomination was submitted as the term of the current Information Commissioner, Ahmed Aahid Rasheed, is due to expire next month.
After reviewing the nomination, the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee recommended approving Abdul Azeez after he scored more than 75 per cent in the committee’s assessment. Responding to questions from committee members, Abdul Azeez, who previously served as the country’s first Information Commissioner, said the purpose of the Right to Information Act was to provide the public with access to information, and that this objective should be achieved through diplomacy.
He said he would consult with government institutions to facilitate the provision of information requested by members of the public, and that public hearings would be held when information could not be obtained through any other means.
Referring to his involvement in drafting the Right to Information Act, Abdul Azeez said the legislation was intended to ensure that information was disclosed based on the decisions of state institutions. He also said such information should be recognised as something that the public has an inherent right to access.
Following the report submitted by the committee, the Parliament voted 47–11 in favour of appointing Abdul Azeez to the post. Eleven members voted against his appointment.
Abdul Aziz has also previously served as a member of the Parliament and has held several positions in the field of language. He currently serves as a State Minister at the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage.
The Information Commissioner is an independent official directly accountable to the Parliament in carrying out responsibilities established under the Right to Information Act and other relevant laws and regulations.