ACC to investigate Finance Committee decision to pay committee allowance

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has stated that it will investigate into the decision by Finance Committee of the Parliament to give the committee allowance of MVR20,000 to all MPs for the month of March. President of the commission Hassan Luthufee said that an individual had submitted a case to the ACC claiming that MPs are to earn a committee allowance for a month which saw no activity in the Parliament and that the ACC is gathering information regarding the case.

“This is a matter of concern for the commission. Members of the Parliament are an example to all. If a civil servant is to claim payment more than the work done, the matter will be sent to the court. Given this it is worrying that people who should be role models to the rest are claiming allowances for work they haven’t done. It raises the question as to how good role models they are,” Luthufee said.

He noted that if anyone claims more in payment than the work they do it is termed under corruption and that there is no doubt to it.

“Every decision taken by the MPs in the Parliament chambers is considered a law, and from that point even we cannot investigate any further. But the decision to take the allowance was taken in a committee meeting, so we can investigate this matter,” he explained.

At the Finance Committee meeting chaired by Bilehdhoo MP Ahmed Hamza held last Wednesday it was approved that all MPs will be paid the committee allowance for the month of March with the vote of Hulhu-Meedhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb, Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed, Alifushi MP Mohamed Nashiz and Eydhafushi MP Ahmed ‘Redwave’ Saleem.

Kulhudhufushi-North MP Abdul Gafoor Moosa and Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed adhered from voting.

Besides six meetings held by the Finance Committee of the parliament between March 19 and March 31 no other sessions or committee meetings were held for the month of March in the Parliament.
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