Former Auditor General: MPs Giving Constituents Leftover Salary is Bribery

Former Auditor General Dr. Ahmed Ali Sawad has stated that if Members of Parliament distribute leftover salary money to their constituents, it amounts to bribery. He further remarked that constituents approach MPs because the MPs fail to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities. Dr. Sawad made the comments on social media platform 'X' in response to a Facebook post by Hithadhoo Medhu constituency MP Ahmed Azan Marzooq, who had defended the high salaries of MPs. Azan argued that MPs in the Maldives are expected to spend on constituents, citing family and acquaintance requests for financial help, and that sponsoring events such as school prize-giving, Eid, Ramadan, and sports tournaments is an expectation even if not an official duty. In his post, Dr. Sawad wrote: "An MP's salary is not meant for the expenses of the people. It is his lawful wage for his work. If after covering personal expenses an MP distributes the leftover money to constituents, that is a bribe to the voters of the constituency. The rights and benefits the state must provide to citizens are defined by law and regulations." He also noted that both the constituent seeking personal benefit and the MP providing it are involved in an illegitimate act. Dr. Sawad questioned whether MPs who swear oaths can faithfully fulfill their constitutional duties if they take bribes to assist constituents through illegitimate projects. The debate over MP salaries reignited after the Parliament's Finance Committee approved raising the Speaker's salary to MVR 95,000 and increasing allowances for ministers and island councils. MPs currently receive MVR 82,500. A chart shared on Facebook comparing MP salaries to average national incomes showed that in the Maldives, MP salaries are 7.14 times the average salary, compared to Singapore's 3.2 times. Public comments on Azan's post noted that constituents seek help from MPs largely because such a culture exists, and urged an end to such practices in favor of systemic reforms. Some comments pointed out that even with a salary of MVR 77,700, MPs struggle with expenses, while many ordinary citizens live on much lower incomes paying the same rents and bills.