CIVIL servants including elected representatives and Cabinet ministers should choose one type of pension out of the many that they benefit from.
“It is seen as fulfilling a moral responsibility,” said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after officiating the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Six Decades of Glorifying Wildlife Conservation Efforts at Zoo Negara today.“Ministers and menteri besar who get three or four pensions may see this situation as fulfilling a moral responsibility if they reject some of the pensions and choose one. However, that may be up to them.”Yesterday (Jan 26), the Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak) president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Rahman stated that elected representatives should continue to receive remuneration after completing their term of service because they are elected by the people and do not work for the government.“Elected representatives are not government officers, they don’t work with the government but instead serve the people 24/7.“Furthermore, they (elected representatives) also have to serve for a certain period before they are entitled to the payment, according to Act 237 (Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980).”However, Anwar pointed out that the constitution guarantees pensions and that things that have been agreed upon in the past cannot be cancelled.“What has started are new rules for new positions, including political appointments. We will present it to the Cabinet of Ministers and Parliament because it involves amending the law.” – Jan 27, 2023
