Committee approves MPs salary hike to MVR 100,000
The salary hike would add MVR 90 million to the salaries of parliamentarians.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
The Finance Committee of the Parliament on Tuesday approved an increase in the salary of members of parliament to MVR 100,000. The committee also approved salary increases for other government posts.
The committee passed the resolution after debating the salaries formulated by the committee in the matter submitted to the committee by the parliament to review the salaries of the state salary determiners, with some changes.
The salaries approved by the parliament include the salaries of the President, Vice-President, Cabinet, Judges, Independent Institutions and Mayors and Councillors. The committee approved a salary increase for all of them.
The changes in the salaries of MPs are:
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Speaker: MVR 90,000 (currently MVR 73,125)
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Deputy speaker: MVR 88,000 (currently MVR 71,000)
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MVR 20,000 as committee allowance, pushing the total salary to MVR 100,000 (currently MPs receives MVR 82,500 with committee allowance)
The committee's Vice-Chairman, Dhaandhoo MP Abdulla Yousuf, presented a study paper after discussions at previous informal working sessions. The motions were supported by Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Gafoor Moosa.
The committee chairman, Kinbidhoo MP Nashiz Mohammed announced that the committee had approved the changes.
The changes will take effect once the committee report is approved by the parliament.
The committee's initial study paper called for an increase in members' salaries to MVR 102,000. If it were passed as such:
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Basic salary: MVR 57,000 (Now MVR 42,500)
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Living allowance: MVR 25,000 (Now MVR 20,000)
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With the committee allowance of MVR 20,000, the total salary will be MVR 102,000
However, after informal discussions, it was decided to reduce the basic salary and living allowance by MVR 2,000. Therefore, members will receive MVR 100,000 per member along with the current committee allowance of MVR 20,000.
Before the committee approved the salary changes, Thimarafushi MP Abdulla Riyaz moved that each agency's salary increase be voted on separately. The motion was supported by The Democrats MP Hassan Afeef.
However, the MDP-majority committee did not pass the motion. The motion to vote on the salaries of all agencies at once was moved by MDP MP Abdullah Waheed. MDP members supported the motion.
In addition, Riyaz proposed that the new salary structure be implemented from the 20th Parliament onwards, as he did not believe that the 19th Parliament itself should increase the salaries of its members. The motion was supported by PNC Parliamentary Group Leader, Fonadhoo MP Moosa Siraj.
However, the motion was not passed. Therefore, once these salaries are passed by the parliament, the increase will apply for the remainder of the 19th parliament from next January.
The committee's study paper and report have not yet been uploaded on the parliament's website.
Before the vote on salaries, The Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb said the salary hike would add MVR 90 million to the salaries of parliamentarians. Therefore, he spoke against the salary increase of all agencies.
"Our budget, as it stands, is very tight. We are doing everything in debt. Then, I don't think we can [increase salaries] all at once at this time," said the only member of the official section who spoke against raising salaries.
"I think, the judiciary and the council should be expanded. I don't support expanding the other places at the moment”.
The budget for next year includes MVR 500 million to increase state salaries.
