Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs are coming forward to declare they would not accept a Rf20,000 committee allowance on top of their salaries, if approved by parliament in the controversial MP Privileges Bill.
The MPs came forward in support of the party’s Chairperson MP Mariya Ahmed Didi, who yesterday withdrew her resolution to cut the allowance after the MDP Parliamentary Group voted in its favour.
“I was not at that meeting but I bowed to the party’s rules and took it out,” Mariya told Minivan News yesterday, adding that she had informed parliament that she did not wish to receive the allowance herself.
MDP’s internal branches were today criticising their parliamentary group following the decision.
Official website of MDP today carried a statement that MDP MPs Eva Abdulla, Hamid Abdul Gafoor, Ilyas Labeeb, Mohamed Gasam, Mohamed Nazim and Ibrahim Rasheed had also announced that they did not support the committee allowance and would not accept it.
Following Mariya’s withdrawal of the resolution opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Mahlouf resubmitted it.
“I was the first one to raise it before Mariya, but the Speaker [DRP MP] Abdulla Shahid went with Mariya’s changes, perhaps because of the factional fight [the opposition] is having. When Mariya withdrew it I resubmitted it.” Mahlouf said yesterday.
Increasing MP salaries by Rf 20,000 would be a huge blow to parliament’s credibility, Mahlouf said, “as the public do not believe we are working to their expectations.” he said.
MDP MP Ahmed Easa also said he did not support the committee allowance, but he said the MPs who did support the committee allowance “have reasonable points.”
”It’s true what they say, MPs have so much to do with their salary each month. People can’t even imagine how many calls a MP receives each day asking for help,” Easa explained. ”Anyone in trouble from a area will run to their MP first, MPs have to lend money for people in need of medication, even for reasons such as people coming to get money to pay the school fees of their children.”
Easa also explained that most of the MPs were not from Male’, which forces them to live in rented apartments.
”As everyone knows, a standard apartment’s rent in Male’ will be Rf10000-20000 (US$750-US$1500), and what about all the phone calls that MPs have to make, that costs an additional Rf5000 (US$375) each month, and what about their family, wife and kids?” he asked, claiming that MPs “have to spend most of their salary on society.”
”As for me, there has never been a month that I have saved any amount of money in my bank account. I am ready to provide any document necessary to prove it,” he said.
However, Easa said due to the economic condition of the Maldives it was not wise to increase the salaries of MPs or any other institution of the government.
”The government’s recurrent expenditure may rise over 80 percent next year which means there will be only 20 percent of the budget to spend on development,” Easa said.
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Easa, grow up and go educate yourself.
MPs mandate is to make laws and not to be Welfare Officers.
Distributing money to the people of your constituencies whether they are needy or not is corruption.
If you feel that people in your constituency need money to pay for their rent, school fees, electricity and medical bills, etc., perhaps you can submit to have a All Round National Welfare Officer.
But let me tell you that their is an institution called NSPA already in place. If you think it is inadequate perhaps you can submit an amendment to make NSPA perform better.
You need not make make a member of your constituency feel obliged to vote for you in the next election just because you paid 10,000 bucks on September 2012 for that person's Water Bill.
If anyone from any of your constituencies ask them for money, it is your noble responsibility to explain to the people that you do not want to encourage dependency and therefore say how sorry you are that you can't do it any more.
Bottom Line is that Money Politics is OUT and Public Service is IN.
You idiot, Easa!
Shaya, agree with you 100%.
Easa obviously has no clue what his mandate as an MP is... Pathetic MP's...
Also one more thing i have to say to Easa... What exactly has the parliament done or achieved to even deserve what u r already getting???
When are these b... going to realize that ALL maldivians are not b... fools.
Why did Minivan remove the article about DRP submitting the amendment. Did MDP MPs Suddenly wake up and realize they have to indeed come to the public to get elected again.
@Shaya Ali- ditto!
@Mahloof on Tue, 5th Apr 2011 8:43 PM
The article is still there, check the politics section.
Shaya I fully agree with you. Why dont you send a letter to Parliament explaining this to them so there also aware of their responsibilities.
I am sure a 7 year would know better then these corrupt MPs.
Idiots. Always with the "should-be's". No matter how ideal the "correct" way seems to the sane mind, one must take into consideration the system that actually exists.
For e.g.:- People depend on MP's for welfare handouts.
Then think about why this situation exists.
For e.g.:- People are poor, dependent and traditionally conditioned to act this way.
Then give some serious thought about what is required to change the current situation.
For e.g.:- raise the living standard of the citizens in the lowest income bracket, streamline rights-based thinking and the importance of financial independence within the education system, take concrete steps towards shifting traditional thought towards current expectations of proper practice.
Establish some form of mechanism to evaluate the condition of people with regards to financial dependence on the MPs for their constituency.
What nonsense!
Just another show by Most Disgusting Party members to get a bonus from the public.
Web cam government!
all MPs are selfish.
This is another gimmick to deceive public by Reeko Moosa, Maria, Nasheed and Co Ltd.
Dear Easa,
Be a little reasonable! What do you think? All the people from islands live in Male' by giving rent and, all those expenses. They don't get 1million salary per MONTH. And this isn't your money dude, you don't deserve that much for JUST sitting there in an AC room full of all the heavens fulfillment. And secondly, you even can't do your job probably..
And the rest agreed with @shaya. 🙂
And, you are the corruption root now. Eating way more than you deserve. People who make the laws, now breaks it. SHAME ON YOU!
Agree with @tsk tsk 100%.
Mahloof needs to learn basic finances first
Mia, dont be so jealous with Mahloof. At least appreciate when he does something good. Dont be so personal. He has always been doing a good work, especially in the past 2 weeks time he has done a lot which the people are expecting. Thank you Mahloof. Though Im from MDP I support what you are doing now, good job