Senior officials of the opposition MDP visited PSM building today to meet with its Managing Director, Ahmed Shakeeb (Shakibbe).
Senior officials of the largest opposition party went to meet the head of state media, Shakeeb, alleging that equal opportunities are not being provided in the programs broadcast by the media to raise public awareness regarding the upcoming referendum, which is being held alongside the Local Council and Women’s Development Committee elections.
According to the party, MDP's concern is that only the government's stand is being presented to the public. In a letter sent by MDP to PSM yesterday regarding this issue, it was notified that they would be visiting to meet MD Shakeeb at 1:00 PM today.
However, the party said that they have not received a response to the letter so far.
Nevertheless, a senior official from PSM stated that MDP would have been informed that Shakeeb is currently in Mecca for the Umrah pilgrimage, and that following that response, there was no request to meet with any other individual.
When senior MDP officials arrived at the PSM reception at the time they had set today, they were informed that Shakeeb is currently abroad. Therefore, the party requested to meet with whoever is temporarily in charge of running the institution.
MDP’s acting Chairperson and Member of Parliament for Hanimaadhoo constituency, Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, stated that the PSM office was open, but there was no one there to meet them.
Stating that PSM is being operated in violation of its law, Ghafoor said that the TV station is acting like a PNC campaign hub. Expressing his concern, Ghafoor said that they cannot do whatever they want without being held accountable.
"Since this government came to power, it has been operating in clear violation of the PSM law. To put it another way, it is operating as a PNC campaign hub," Ghafoor stated.
As they have not met with any official from PSM so far, senior MDP leaders remain waiting at the PSM reception.
