MDP defends 'deserving' salary hike: ‘Male is costly'

The MDP Parliamentary Group (PG) on Wednesday defended the decision of the MDP-controlled Parliamentary Finance Committee to increase the salaries of the three branches of government, including parliament members.

The Finance Committee on Tuesday approved the salary increases for the three branches; government, parliament and the judiciary. The changes in the salaries of MPs under the decision are:

In addition, the committee also approved an increase in the salaries of the President, Vice-President and Ministers and many other senior posts in the state.

The MDP's Parliamentary Group, which has a clear majority in the entire parliament, held a press conference on Wednesday amid protests against the increase in political salaries.

Speaking at the meeting, PG Leader, Alifushi Constituency Member Mohammed Rasheed Hussain said that the salary increase was given to all institutions within a certain standard.

Noting that the salary increase was not only for the MPs, the Deputy Leader of the PG, Kelaa Constituency Member Ibrahim Shareef said that through the salary equalization, people of all classes and categories will get their salaries.

“I don’t think the salaries of MPs are too high compared to state ministers and ministers,” he said, noting that the government was appointing a large number of state ministers.

"This is done to harmonize. It is not done to increase the salaries of MPs alone."

Fuvahmulah Central MP Hussain Mohamed Didi echoed the same sentiment. He said that a state can only be retained by paying salaries that fit the structure it has.

"For example, if the salary of the DMD of the company is higher than that of the MD of the company, it will not be a working system. There will be no system or structure," he said.

Therefore, Hussain Mohammed said, while the salaries of other state powers, councils and independent institutions were increased in accordance with the requirements of the parliament, the salaries of the MPs had to be increased to maintain the structure of the state.

The MVR 500 million allocated in next year's budget includes the government's salary increase and the parliament's salary increase, Dhanndhoo MP Yaugoob Abdullah said. So, he said:

'Government is talking politically'

The salary changes were made with the consent and vote of the pro-government members, he said. Therefore, now, those who support the government are speaking out against the salary increase for “political purposes”, he alleged.

Responding to President Muizzu's remarks that the salaries of the President, Vice-President and Ministers have not been increased at his request, Yaugoob said the government cannot change the salaries of those who are paid by parliament. He noted that it is a power given to the parliament by law.

“However, the government has also requested [a salary increase] during this salary increase process,” he said.

He pointed out that in a letter signed by President Muizzu to the Parliament on November 21, he had requested for an increase in the salaries of the president, vice-president and members of the Privatization and Corporatisation Board (PCB), which oversees the affairs of state-owned companies.

According to Yaugoob, the President's letter requested:

The Finance Committee's decision to increase the salaries was passed unanimously by all the members who voted. None of the members voted against it, Yaugoob said. According to him:

“On behalf of the government, there have been tweets and various comments that the government has no involvement, consultation or consent in this matter. I repeat that this recommendation was passed with the vote of the leader of the ruling party's parliamentary group,” he said.

The salaries of MPs are not high and the allowances they receive are essential, he said. He also noted that the committee allowance is only proportional to attendance at the committee.

“Some people have mentioned that they live in rural areas and come to Male and rent places with great difficulty,” Rasheed said.

“All of those things [are] so difficult, besides having to spend a lot of money in the city,” he said, adding that MPs spend a lot of money for the people. Among them, he mentioned:

On the concern among the people that the salaries of MPs are so high and they do not have to meet any qualifications when applying for membership, Rasheed said it was the responsibility of the people to elect quality candidates.

Salary increases approved by the Finance Committee will take effect once they are voted on in the Parliament.