Azim says councillors joining online meetings in pajamas are not the kind of representatives the city needs

Male' City Mayor Adam Azim has criticised councillors who join official council meetings online “in pajamas,” saying such behaviour is unprofessional and not what the public expects from elected representatives.

Speaking at a council meeting, Azim said some councillors fail to attend six consecutive sessions and then join the seventh online, appearing inappropriately dressed when asked to switch on their cameras.

He said the council livestreams its meetings on YouTube, and the conduct of members is visible to the public. “These are official meetings of the council. People should not vote for councillors who behave like this,” Azim said.

The mayor also expressed concern that the ruling PNC‑majority council has repeatedly failed to meet quorum, preventing official sessions from being held. “Then they say we only show up when it rains. I am talking about official council meetings,” he added.

Azim stressed that councillors can only fulfil their responsibilities by attending meetings regularly. He noted that attendance records and participation details are publicly available on the Male' City Council’s YouTube channel.

The mayor also referred to comments made by some councillors regarding the waiver of fines for Hiyaa and Sinamale' flats. He said former mayor and current President Mohamed Muizzu had previously waived fines in accordance with the law, and if councillors now wish to waive accumulated fines again, they may decide to do so.

Azim further noted that Deputy Mayor Mohamed Areesh has been formally advised in writing for repeatedly failing to attend council meetings.