Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday approved a lump sum of Rf160,000 (US$10,376) for every MP, in committee allowance back pay for January through August.
The decision to approve the Rf20,000 (US$1200) monthly allowances in December 2010 was met with protests and widespread public indignation. However in June this year, parliament rejected a resolution proposed by opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Mahlouf to scrap the allowance.
The back payment of the allowance will cost the state up to Rf 12.32 million (US$800,000), following a year in which a quarter of all parliament sessions were disrupted and at a time when the country faces a crippling budget deficit.
A Majlis official, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed to Minivan News that following its decision, the committee asked the Speaker to issue the lump sum allowance with MPs’ salaries this month.
Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, chairman of the PAC and parliamentary group leader of the minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA), was not responding at time of press.
Article 102 of the constitution states that parliament shall determine the salaries and allowances of the President, Vice President, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, members of the Judiciary, and members of the independent institutions.
The Rf20,000 allowance was initially approved on December 28, 2010 as part of a pay scheme recommended by the PAC.
The opposition-majority PAC decided earlier this month that MPs who attend less than 50 percent of committee meetings would not receive the allowance while those who attended between 50 and 75 percent would receive Rf10,000 (US$648) a month.
While MPs who attend over 75 percent of meetings would receive the full amount, those who did not wish to take the allowance would be allowed to refuse it.
Few MPs that Minivan News contacted today wished to comment on record regarding the controversial allowances.
Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed told Minivan News that he was not informed of the Public Accounts Committee decision.
“There was a decision to institute committee allowance, I know. [But] I am not in support of a committee allowance at all. And if there is any back pay, that would be awfully irresponsible,” he said.
Nasheed added that he had written to the Speaker requesting that he “not be given it and that it may not be deposited with my salary.”
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza, a member of the PAC, meanwhile said that he too was not aware of the decision.
If a decision had been made, said Hamza, it must have been done while he was either absent or had stepped out of the committee meeting.
“I do not think it is a good idea at all,” he said. “I have expressed my disapproval at the committee when it was first discussed.”
Hamza added that he did not want the allowance. Other MDP MPs on the committee did not respond at time of press.
With the committee allowance, in addition to their existing salaries, Maldivian MPs earn just US$215 a month less than MPs in Sweden.
Breakdown of the vote to scrap the allowance, by MP.
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Anyone who did not cote explicitly against this bill the first time around should be held accountable for it.
Comparison to the Swedish population ratio thats probably a lot more.
@ Minivan News please correct the figure its 140,000
A responsible democracy can only be consolidated with a citizens response to to actions of politicians.
Citizens when united do have power collectively, if they wish to exercise it.
I am am going to do my part, regardless of party lines or policies, never to vote for an MP who voted against or abstained in the vote to scrap this bill.
In the next election, if the message is sent. Every Majlis thereafter will remember.
Disgusting, our honorable members of parliament are brazen lot. The ordinary citizens are almost starving, live, hand to mouth, unable to pay house rents and electricity bills and these honorable audacious members are raising their allowances and salaries.
Shame on you rascals and hope that you will never see the gates and doors of Majlis chambers in future.
As outrageous as this is, I'm sure it's going to sail through just fine.
Our politicians generally know how to band together in times of need, and the public are just barking dogs that get bored eventually.
this is what happened when the likes of jangiyaas and yaameens are in majlis. also another mistake of Anni to give so much power to majlis. actually anni tried to do parliamentry democracy UK style back then when it was thought Maumoon cannot be toppled. ppl had not gone that level yet. we have voted rascals to majlis and this what we get. economic rape of the country
Well, people we can call these members in the committee and if they voted for or against. Those abstained are equally bad.
1. Mohamed Nasheed (Lhonivaram MDP)
2. Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Kulhudhufushi MDP)
3. Ahmed Hamza (Bilehdhoo MDP)
4. Ilyas Labeeb (Hulhumeedhoo MDP)
5. Abdulla Abdul Raheem (Mafannu Hulhangu MDP)
6. Mohamed Nashiz (Alifushi DRP)
7. Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed (Fuahmulaku Dhekunu DRP)
8. Abdullah Mausoom (Kelaa DRP)
9. Ali Azim (Medhu Henveiru DRP)
10. Ahmed Nazim (Dhihgaru PA)
11. Riyaz Rasheed (Vilufush DQP)
In Maldives I see nothing but hypocracy...rich sucking the blood out of the poor, politicians using their cheap gimmicks to make them richer by the day.
I for one no of no country in the world where politicians are able to get healthcare outside the country...just because of thier position. I some how feels there is something inherently wrong when politicians (MPs, Minsters, Presidents etc).... get an allowance / insurance plan that allows them to go seek medical care abroad... as in the medical care locally is good enough for the regualar people but not good enough for the important people. I dunno you guys but I surely feel there is something worng with practices like this and leaves a bad taste in my mouth !
All the NGO please open a donation for these so called respected members. So then we can give donation. Please these guys are poor people. Why do not we put a big box infront of parliament and even in the islands, so then every body could easily donate.
MPs Havarah dheeeeeeeeeee!!!
This is utter nonsense. We should throw these people out the next time.
It is pointless to riot about food prices etc when the so called MPs are sucking our blood dry.
Most of these people should be taken, bound and forced to walk naked on the streets of Male.
I hope that the general public realises that this goes beyond party politics. These MPs will destroy Maldives on their own if we do not stop these people now.
We asked for a change. And by heavens, we got it.
Its hypocrisy at the core. Its brazen shamelessness.
Ever wonder why such a huge sample of our population, are being such scandalous, blood sucking leeches?
Because we all are. All Maldivians are hypocrites! Jealousy, scandals, corruption are rampant, yet we all pose as the clean white clothed arab-loving muslims!!!
Obviously any monkey can become and MP and in their term most of the successful changes that pass through the Majlis have to do with their own wellbeing.
So I am going to stand for Majlis for the next term and I suggest everyone to do the same because there is a good chance of getting elected as just a popularity contest and not at all based on beliefs or policies!
The people belonging to the constituency of the useless MPs must try harder to make their own representative more responsible. Once they are elected no one even bats an eyelids if they are never seen again during their term as MP. Shocking stuff. Just complaining won't fix it, are people willing to actually go out and try to make them more accountable?
Check out breakdown of votes on 29 December 2010 (Imthiyaaz ge bill), 8 March 2011 (bill aburaa committee ah fonuvan) 6 July 2011 (mahloof garaaru)from http://www.majlis.gov.mv/di/vote-thafseel
I'm not condoning this but makes me wonder if this is a stunt pulled by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which has an opposition majority to disrupt parliament when members vote for tax bills.
Shameless B@@@@@s!!! MPs are no more than greedy B@@@@@s!!!
time to get out there and let our voices be heard. this calls for a black friday scale demonstrations. someone's gotta start sometime. this is a good timing, there is no color politics involved...its us people against em MPs. so lets do this!
and kutti nasheed is trying to play innocent. ALL of you are guilty. EVERY SINGLE ONE. writing a letter is not enough. im sure every single one of em might write a letter. what are you guys doing, taking turns to look innocent? last time drp guys did dat. before dat mariya was the savior of the people. we know your games now.
lets make this happen: NONE of the current MPs should be elected to majlis next round. they are all guilty.
Well, people who take that money would be taking it against the spirit of Islam as well, people this level of corruption must be opposed.
Protests should be organised
The question is, do we feel that the MPs who we voted into office do not deserve the wages that they have set for themselves?
If so then shall we remind ourselves;
- Most of us (especially in Male') voted for political parties rather than individual candidates. Therefore it is those parties and the people who set their legislative agenda who have cheated us.
- Political parties have displayed time and time again that they are run by dictatorial cult figures. There is no doubt that Nasheed, Qayyoom and Thasmeen could have gotten their pawns to press any button of their choice at any given time.
- Minivannews is owned and operated by the MDP and hence, by extension, Nasheed. Therefore we must think about why this article is fashioned as such and given pride of place on the homepage.
I'm also quite amazed that most of these MP's are not aware of critical decisions like this.
Now there are laws that state that a person cannot hold two Jobs within the state.
That mean when some one id getting paid by the state to work in official capacity, she shall not be getting paid two salaries. Working in a committee, but never should that be considered to be a different Job. This allowance just looks like a double salary to me.
Having said that this might be a little off topic but there are some political appointee's who hold two job titles, i would be very interested to know if these people get paid twice.
This is absolutely disgusting. Every other day we hear more money been assigned to these corrupt politicians. The government has made our lives a misery by cutting down salaries, introducing taxes, floating rufiyaa nd increasing the cost of living in the name od debts and saving but keeps giving more money to all these MPs every day.
I can't help but laugh when people say "time to get out there and let our voices be heard. this calls for a black friday scale demonstrations. someone’s gotta start sometime."
Well why don't you. Are you waiting for president Nasheed or MDP to lead this as well?
I propose Mohamed Shihab, Ahmed Thaufeeq, Ahmed Naseer, Ahmed Wajeeh, Ibrahim Mohamed to take the initiative.
Hayaai kuda bakari thakeh! Balaa eh nun mee. Gaumu fenujehey iru ves kukulhu kosheege allowance dho bodu kuran vee. Ekamaku vaa saabas!
MPs this is shameful!
These politicians are out in force to suck us dry. We need to come out in force to teach them including the executive a lesson.
Hell with the corrupt MDP MPs. What did we gain for having an MDP parliment majority?.
It seems practiced ignorance is expensive................ j
Dhondheenaa on Thu,..... excellent suggestion............ hahahaha
So many people commenting on this article and on face book are saying "we need to come out." Who are you waiting for?
As hard as this might be for you to swallow, there was only one man who dared to take the lead to stand up to tyranny. That man is now the president. And yes he is a good person.
It's unfortunate that some MPs have behaved irresponsibly and all MPs are blamed. It's the same as blaming all Dhivehin or all Muslims for the actions of a few.
Get your facts right and act if you must instead of going round in mass hysteria.
I don't need to act because I'm living very comfortably in Singapore. Although the govt has kicked my husband out of his job recently we get enough money from Yameen.
Following are the members who voted not to stop the 20,000 allowance. Please call them until they change their mind.
1-Ali Arif-Vaikaradhoo Dhaairaa
2-Ali Mohamed-Velidhoo Dhaairaa
3-Ali Waheed-Thoddoo Dhaairaa
4-Mohamed Ramiz-Villigili Dhaairaa
5-Riyaz Rasheed-Vilufushi Dhaairaa
6-Rozaina Adam-Thulusdhoo Dhaairaa
7-Abdul Muhsin Hameed-Nilandhoo Dhaairaa
8-Abdul Raheem Abdulla-Fonadhoo Dhaairaa
9-Abdulla Abdulraheem-Maafannu Hulhangu Dhaairaa
10-Ahmed Amir-Kudahuvadhoo Dhaairaa
11-Ahmed Easa-Kendhikulhudhoo Dhaairaa
12-Ahmed Hamza-Bilaidhoo Dhaairaa
13-Ahmed Mohamed-Naifaru Dhaairaa
14-Ahmed Rasheed-Hoarafushi Dhaairaa
15-Ahmed Rasheed Ibrahim-Isdhoo Dhaairaa
16-Ahmed Sameer-Dhaandhoo Dhaairaa
17-Ahmed Siyam Mohamed-Meedhoo Dhaairaa
18-Ali Riza-Milandhoo Dhaairaa
19-Ali Saleem-Funadhoo Dhaairaa
20-Hamdhoon Abdulla Hameed-Inguraidhoo Dhaairaa
21-Hassan Adhil-Maradhoo Dhaairaa
22-Hassan Latheef-Hithadhoo Dhekunu Dhaairaa
23-Hussain Waheed-Komandoo Dhaairaa
24-Ibrahim Muthalib-Faresmaathodaa Dhaairaa
25-Ibrahim Riza-Guraidhoo Dhaairaa
26-Ilham Ahmed-Gemanafushi Dhaairaa
27-Ismail Abdul Hameed-Kaashidhoo Dhaairaa
28-Mohamed Musthafa-Thimarafushi Dhaairaa
29-Mohamed Nashiz-Alifushi Dhaaira
30-Mohamed Shifaz-Baarashu Dhaairaa
31-Mohamed Thoriq-Manadhoo Dhaairaa
32-Mohamed Zubair-Dhuvaafaru Dhaairaa
33-Moosa Zameer-Kinbidhoo Dhaairaa
34-Ruggiyya Mohamed-Mahibadhoo Dhaairaa
35-Yoosuf Abdul Gafoor-Galolhu Dhekunu Dhaairaa
36-Zahir Adam-Gadhoo Dhaairaa
Getting bills passed by the beneficiaries in their favor is like giving open safe to a robber. It is nothing to be shocked. The salaries and benefits of these poor uneducated rats should be handled by an independent authority.
No comment or any whip would have effect on these vagabonds who voted for this bill and those who abstained!
As it seems, ALL POWERS are out to suck us dry!
Government should start paying them wages not salary and each MP should get a time card! if they show up they get their hours and if they don't then they don't get their big money!
MDP promised in the 'other maldives' everything will be clean. there is no difference other than the color changing from blue to yellow. all cronies are given cushy jobs in companies that do not need exist and MDP parliamentarians are no different from the rest as you can see from the list. the reluctance by mps to declare their assets is another shameful affair.
the allowance is so that they can help the poor is no justication. that help is to buy future votes.