MP Imran: Mic came into my hands due to ‘superior arm strength’, paying for damages

South Henveiru MP Hussain Imran Latheef says he has arranged to pay for the microphone that got damaged in his hands on Monday, as chaos broke out as the Independent Institutions Committee voted for a controversial media bill that seeks to replace the existing self-regulatory system with a government-controlled commission.

The incident took place as Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir, a lawmaker from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) used a microphone at the committee room to voice his objections to the bill. Imran was caught on camera snatching the microphone from the hands of Mauroof and Thoddoo MP Hussain Sameer, another lawmaker from the MDP. Imran, a lawmaker from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), snatched the microphone from them and dropped it to the ground.

In a message to a WhatsApp group of his supporters on early Tuesday, the lawmaker from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) said the fault did not lie with him alone.

He said that he, along with Mauroof and Sameer, share equal responsibility for the destruction of Parliament’s property.

“The mic got damaged in the hands of three people. It happened in front of the media. But some people will see only I. It came into my hands because of superior arm strength,” he wrote.

While Imran claims that both Mauroof and Sameer also share responsibility for the damage to the mic, videos of the incident show it was Imran who grabbed the mic from them and dropped it to the floor.

Imran said that he has arranged to pay for the damages.

“I have arranged to pay for the damages,” wrote Imran. “I need to pay for [the damage] to public property. I have informed [the Parliament] of this.”

He also defended his actions, accusing Maroof of inciting violence.

“I will not just idly stand by as Mauroof Zakir calls for places to be torched. Showing good discipline does not mean standing still like water. Though I might not have shared this in detail on social media, this is what happened,” he said.

Monday’s committee meeting, during which the PNC used its supermajority to pass the contentious media bill, was attended by a large number of journalists as well as parliamentarians who don’t sit in the committee.

Neither Imran, nor Mauroof nor Sameer are members of the committee.

Pnc ge Majilis Member Imran Latheef majileehuge thakehchah gellun dheefi#CtrlBillBeyrukurey pic.twitter.com/GrxEULk6Ez

— Muzayyin Nazim (@tedmaldives) September 15, 2025

Chaos had erupted as the committee passed the bill with multiple government-drafted amendments proposed by the committee’s deputy chair, Kelaa MP Abdulla Shareef, as journalists and opposition lawmakers broke out in protest.

Imran had grabbed the mic as Mauroof had attempted to use it to voice his objections amid the chaos.

As per standard protocol, the destruction of Parliament’s property requires an inquiry by the Ethics Committee.

The Parliament is set to convene for an extraordinary sitting on Tuesday, during which the PNC is expected to wield its supermajority to pass the bill. However, the Parliament’s secretariat has yet to announce the agenda or when the sitting will begin.