Broadcasting regulator staff revolt against commission leadership

The strike – the first of its kind to be staged by all employees of a state institution in recent history – followed the suspension of senior officials after a staff petition was submitted to parliament alleging unlawful conduct by Broadcom President Safa Shafeeq and other commission members. 

“The main issue is the commissioners’ interference in administrative management and their encouragement of actions that violate established rules and procedures,” Broadcom's human resources chief told the media outside the office on Wednesday. 

“For example, they are directing the HR panel to take disciplinary action against employees without following due process. The secretary general has been suspended. Who knows what we will have to face tomorrow? We decided to go on strike in protest. We cannot accept the current state of affairs."

However, the commission has yet to receive the petition “either officially or unofficially,” Broadcom President Safa Shafeeq told the Maldives Independent, declining to comment on the staff grievances. 

On Tuesday, Broadcom Secretary General Mariyam Zeeniya was placed on administrative suspension for three days. The move came after commission members questioned Zeeniya about the petition, a senior administrative official told the Maldives Independent.

“They asked her whether she had signed the petition and why the commission wasn’t informed that such a petition was circulating,” the official said.

Accounts differ on the reasons for Zeeniya's suspension. Broadcom President Safa insisted the suspension was unrelated to the petition and concerned “an ongoing ethical issue.” But according to sources familiar with the situation, it was based mainly on three allegations: failure to cooperate with commissioners, deliberate stonewalling, and abuse of positional authority and mistreatment of an employee. Zeeniya has been given three days to respond.

A Broadcom official described the mood in the office as “panic.”

The conflict escalated on Wednesday evening when IT officer Ahmed Fazeel was suspended for seven days after the police were called into the Broadcom office.

According to Fazeel, the office server froze on Wednesday morning, which he described as an almost daily occurrence. As he followed the normal routine and proceeded to disassemble the server, commission members instructed him to stop and leave the server room and the office before police officers arrived.

“I was at home when a colleague called and asked me to return to the office. Upon returning, I was asked by the police to assemble the server and to give them access. I did as instructed. The server froze in two minutes into police having gained access. This is a routine issue. It is an old cumbersome server,” Fazeel said.

Fazeel was informed of his suspension with a phone call on Wednesday night. The official letter signed by the commission's chairwoman was sent on Thursday morning.

According to police, IT technicians from the police visited Broadcom to assist with a server issue upon request by commissioners. It was technical in nature and not part of a formal investigation, police later clarified.

However, Fazeel told the Maldives Independent that he was ordered to appear at the police station on Thursday morning. The police summons was later postponed.

Fazeel’s suspension letter cited “questionable facts” uncovered by a police analysis. 

Broadcom President Safa confirmed seeking a police investigation based on observations made by the police technicians during Wednesday's visit.  

The strike continued on Thursday. It remains unclear when staff will return to work.

A parliament media officer confirmed receipt of the staff petition. It has been forwarded to the independent institutions committee, which has oversight over Broadcom. However, the committee is only expected to take up the petition after the Majlis reconvenes in June from a two-week recess. 

A senior official who wished to remain anonymous explained the main concerns outlined in the petition. Broadcom is severely understaffed and under-resourced with work hampered by outdated computers and frequent power outages, the official told the Maldives Independent.  

“The commissioners view adherence to due diligence and procedural timelines as deliberate delays. For instance, they might request a legal opinion to be written immediately, but legal staff may need a few days to prepare it properly. This frustrates the commissioners,” the official said.

The commission's mandate includes handling public complaints, issuing broadcast licenses and enforcing compliance with codes of conduct. While commissioners issue policy advice and guidance on carrying out these responsibilities, all administrative operations are executed by 22 employees overseen by the secretary general. The secretary general was appointed after interviews by the commissioners.

Chaired by Safa Shafeeq, the seven-member commission includes Shifla Ibrahim, Aminath Amina, Aminath Sarahath Izzat, Aminath Nizuha, Ibrahim Abdulla (Mohamma) and Moosa Rilwan. With the exception of Shifla and Amina, the rest were all appointed by the current parliament with a supermajority for the ruling People’s National Congress.

The dispute between the commission members and staff come amid concerns raised by the opposition over political bias. 

In February, Broadcom threatened action against Raajje TV – a private broadcaster aligned with the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party – over a protest song aired to promote a planned mass rally on March 31. During former president Abdulla Yameen’s administration, Broadcom repeatedly slapped fines worth millions on Rufiyaa on the TV station defamation law that was later repealed.

On Friday night, commission member Mohamed Abdulla –a former actor and lawmaker whose appointment was approved by parliament on January 21 – joined the PNC during a ceremony with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu in attendance.