KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysians were today given more insight into the perks of being ministers and lawmakers, as Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar-Independent) detailed some of the benefits enjoyed by these post holders.
Speaking in Parliament, the lawmaker said ministers are granted gratuity of up to RM2 million upon their resignation, regardless of the period spent in the position.
This is on top of their monthly salary of about RM55,000 a month, an official residence in Putrajaya, a plot of land in the federal administrative capital, a driver, and a holiday allowance of more than RM100,000 a year.
“If a politician has served four to five terms as an MP, even if he becomes a minister for one day, his gratuity can be more than RM1 million,” he said when debating the 12th Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“That is why I have to ask, in the current government, there are ministers who remained in the cabinet under three different administrations in three years. Will he receive gratuity just once, or separate for each time he resigns? All this must stop.”
Syed Saddiq said politicians also enjoy a rather lucrative pension scheme as a lawmaker, as well as for each position he holds in federal and state governments.
He said if an individual has served in multiple posts in the past, this could even grant him a pension of more than RM100,000 a month.
Elaborating, he said there are separate pension schemes for being an MP, senator, assemblyman, executive councillor, Dewan Rakyat speaker, deputy minister and prime minister, and that one stands to gain more with more positions held.
Additionally, the Muda founder said a lawmaker will also receive more in pension if he serves a constituency longer.
“Many ask why there are MPs who refuse to retire even after serving for decades. The reality is, the calculation for pension is different. The longer you serve, the higher your pension.
“For example, if you serve for six terms, the pension is way higher, because it is not static to the monthly salary received each month.
“That is why some lawmakers refuse to retire because, in the end, their monthly pension, inclusive of all the posts they have held before, can surpass RM100,000.”
To address this, Syed Saddiq proposed setting up a special committee to discuss the matter, alongside the issue of political funding. – The Vibes, September 29, 2021
