Majlis passed Members salary and allowance to MRF 62,500

The salary and allowance of the Parliamentarians has been revised to MRF 62,500.

The legal ground has been sanctioned by the Citizens Majlis

During today's session members emolument report was tabled by the Committee. After discussion by the members, the vote was unanimous.

While debating about the Report some members expressed their view that the figure of MRF 42,500 including all the allowance to amount to a total of MRF 67,000 is excessive.

Others were of the opinion that the figures mentioned in the report is acceptable, but the present earmarked salary of MRF 7,000 is not sufficient for the needs of the members and therefore a higher scale but below what is stated_ MRF 42,000, in the report is acceptable.

The first member who spoke today Member from Laamu,  Mossa Maniku has said that what the members are currently receiving is not enough and that what the committee is suggesting MRF 42,500 is desirable to adopt.

While Gaafu Dhaal Member Zahir Adam has suggested that the independence of the Majlis hinges on the salary scale of its Members.

Major proportion of the emolument of the members is being enjoyed by the constituent public and that based on the arduous work the Members have to undertake, MRF 7, 000 is negligible, he told.

According to Member from Raa Atoll, a pay scale that is sufficient for them to lead a respectable life without having to resort to a second job is important.

What lies ahead is a transition period whereby the Members reorganize their tenure from part time to a full time basis.

The figure tabled by the Committee, even then, he said is on the high side.

The figures suggested for the financial allowance is agreeable, he told.

Considering the practices in existence in Parliaments in other countries, a figure amounting to half of the salary allocated to the executive Ministerial Portfolio is an agreeable figure, he told.

He went on to state that the allowances and concessions bestowed on the Members need to be spelled out clearly and that instead of Diplomatic Passport, for the conduct of official trips abroad an Official Passport is sufficient.

Member from Dhaalu Ahmad Nashid is of the view that according to Law No:7/90 Members of the Majlis have to sanction only their pay scale.

The financial allowances have to be decided by the Committee and that to come up with an inflation adjusted allowance is important, he told.

Member of the President Ahmad Saleem expressed his opinion by saying that when the country to a state where the Three powers are independent; availability of the financial means to discharge fully the obligations of each power is important.

When the Members are expressing their points of view on issues, it is important to see and maintain that their views are unbiased and free from the influence of elite and big business, he told.

To a large extent, to maintain this integrity availability of a sufficient financial outlay is important, Saleem said.

In the near future when the Majlis increases to more than 70 members, an adequate remuneration system would help to induce capable and qualified candidates who have the ability to vet and debate on the many bills that would come to the floor of the Majlis, he told.

Presidential Member and the Minister of Fisheries Ahmed Hilmy said that the pay scale of the Members and other financial outlay has to be based on the income revenue of the government.