MPs’ salaries are too high: President

President Yameen Abdul Gayoom has said that MPs receive salaries that are too high for the services provided by them.

The President said this while speaking at a function to launch the campaign for Jameel Usman, who will contest the Parliamentary Election for Gemanafushi on Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) ticket.

“Their [MPs’] salaries are too high for the services they provide. The average salary of a civil servant is lower than MVR 7,000. But these ‘responsible’ MPs enjoy some MVR 80,000 as salary and allowances,” he said.

He referred to opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) claims that they want to hold the government accountable for its actions through the parliament, and called on people to think about how MDP has gone about achieving this in the past.

He said that the parliament needs to work towards regaining the people’s trust and respect.

“The parliament is the institution that puts the ‘final stamp’ on the services the government wants to provide to the people. So if it’s not possible to put this stamp, the people will lose out on the benefits of these projects,” he said.

He said that the government coalition does not want the parliament to be a place where people ‘hide’ or try to get impunity.

“The people don’t want to elect MPs who have committed serious crimes, and want to become an MP to get impunity,” he said.

Last night’s function was also attended by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and former President Dr Mohamed Waheed.