‘Unjust’: Majlis chair refuses urgent motion against Speaker, ministers’ pay hike

The People’s Majlis has declined to take up an urgent motion against a Finance Committee decision to increase the salaries and allowances of the Speaker and government ministers. At a meeting held last Wednesday, the Majlis Finance Committee decided to give the Speaker an additional allowance of MVR 22,000. With salary and allowances, the Speaker will now receive MVR 95,000 per month. The committee also increased the driver allowance for ministers to MVR 17,000, bringing a minister’s total salary and allowances to MVR 75,000. Kendhoo constituency MP Maaroof Zakir submitted the urgent motion, arguing that it was unjust to raise the pay of top officials at a time when the country’s economic situation has worsened and public sector workers are struggling with inadequate salaries. “At a time when the Maldivian economy has deteriorated, and after the government has taken many steps that will make life difficult for the Maldivian people in the name of reducing state expenditure, increasing the salaries of the country’s leaders is not something the Maldivian people can accept,” the motion said. However, the Majlis chair, Abdul Raheem Abdullah, who presided over today’s sitting, said the urgent motion was not a matter that needed to be debated at this point. As a result, it was not taken up. The Finance Committee’s decision still requires approval by a floor vote of the full Majlis, and the matter is expected to be debated during that vote.