The approval of a pay hike for MPs up to MVR 100,000 a month has prompted an outpouring of criticism from the public.
At a meeting yesterday, Parliament's Public Accounts Committee unanimously approved raising the salary of MPs to MVR 80,000. As MPs would continue to receive a committee allowance of MVR 20,000, the total pay would rise to MVR 100,000.
The current salary of MPs is MVR 62,500 or a total of MVR 82,500 with the committee allowance. Public dissatisfaction persisted over that salary as well.
Members of the public resumed expressing displeasure on social media after the committee passed the pay hike to MVR 100,000. Some have been saying that the amount was still too low to taunt MPs.
A post on social media against the move questioned whether it was the most appropriate time to raise the pay for the upper echelons when the country was heading towards bankruptcy.
"Their educational qualification is literacy. So I think the salary should still be increased a bit more," one person wrote.
Another called on social media for reducing the pay for MPs along with a requirement to have academic qualifications.
"MPs' salary is extremely high even now. I believe that salary should be reduced. Raising the salary again is unacceptable. What needs to be done is to amend the constitution to include education and experience among the criteria for MPs," the person said.
The decision was made without considering the difficult lives of ordinary people, another person said.
"Do MPs not know the impoverished condition that ordinary people on the islands are living in. Prices of goods are rising. People are barely able to make ends meet and take care of their wives and children by working all day," he said.
Ahmed Faris Maumoon, who has decided to contest in the upcoming parliamentary elections, said MPs should not be able to determine their own salaries.
"The number of MPs need to be decreased in proportion to the country's proportion. MPs' salary should be lowered! We need to arrange for MPs' salary not to be something that is determined by Parliament," he said.
In addition to MPs, the committee also approved pay rises for the President, Vice President, ministers, judges, magistrates, directors of government ministries, board members, city council members and island council members.
Despite the committee's approval, a final decision on the pay hikes will be made at the Parliament floor after debating the committee report.
