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Not even by five cents, President slams proposal to raise MPs’ salaries
View(s):President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday vowed that he would not allow salaries of MPs to be raised “even by five cents.” Speaking at a function at the Polonnaruwa new market complex last evening, he said he had read and watched the media coverage on the issue of raising salaries of parliamentarians. The President said that the decision to raise the salaries of ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentarians had been endorsed by all parties represented in Parliament, but in the wake of criticism in the media, there was none to take the responsibility for making the proposal.
Pointing out that any such proposal would have to be submitted to the Cabinet, the President said he would not approve it.
The controversy arose after a proposal was submitted to the Speaker, recommending a salary hike for ministers, deputy ministers and MPs in terms of a parliamentary resolution passed in 2006. The resolution recommends that ministers’ and MPs’ salaries should be given a salary increase whenever the salaries of higher judicial officers are increased. The proposal was made following a salary increase given to High Court Judges.
The Speaker has referred the proposal to the Parliament Secretary General for observations. Minister Lakshman Kiriella addressing a function in Matale said that salaries of parliamentarians were increased according to a law passed in 2006 when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the president. “All party leaders were present when the matter was discussed in parliament on July 17. No one objected at the time. This has not been implemented yet. We understand the issues faced by the people. But, all the party leaders accepted in principle that a salary hike was in order,” he said.