A RECENT article asking whether politicians are “paid more for less work” raises a question Malaysia should confront more honestly. When we elect someone to represent us, what should they receive in return, and what should voters expect from them?
Nobody is suggesting MPs should be underpaid. The job involves constant travel, constituency work, hiring staff and participating in parliamentary and committee duties. They need resources to do that effectively.
The real question is whether those resources remain fair, proportionate and sufficiently accountable.
Under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980, MPs receive a salary together with various allowances covering official duties such as travel, accommodation and other work-related expenses.
In March 2025, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that MPs also receive a fixed monthly allowance of RM25,700, alongside claims for parliamentary sittings, committee meetings, briefings and eligible travel and subsistence expenses.
There is nothing inherently wrong with paying elected representatives well. In fact, paying them too little can create its own risks by making politicians more dependent on wealthy donors or business interests, potentially creating conflicts of interest.
But generous remuneration carries an equally important obligation: stronger accountability.
An MP should never view allowances as personal perks. Every ringgit comes from taxpayers and should serve a public purpose.
That principle should shape how benefits are designed and monitored.
Travel for parliamentary or constituency work should be claimable when it is genuinely work-related.
Accommodation should be provided where official duties require it. Staffing and administrative support should be properly funded because effective representation requires capable teams.
However, clear rules, proper documentation and transparent reporting should accompany every expenditure.
Constituency allocations deserve particular attention. Funds intended to benefit local communities should never resemble a personal discretionary fund.
Constituents should be able to see how much money has been allocated, where it has been spent, who received funding and what outcomes were achieved.
Transparency should become routine rather than exceptional.
Malaysia should also consider removing the perception that politicians decide their own financial benefits.
An independent remuneration commission could periodically review MPs’ salaries and allowances, taking into account the responsibilities of the role, economic conditions and international comparisons with other parliamentary democracies.
Accountability should extend beyond financial disclosure.
Voters deserve a clearer picture of how their elected representatives perform. Parliamentary attendance, debate participation, committee work, questions raised, legislative contributions and constituency engagement could all be reported in accessible formats.
This is not about reducing public service to a simplistic scorecard. It is about giving voters meaningful information before they return to the ballot box.
Beyond figures and allowances lies a deeper issue of political culture.
When elected representatives appear to enjoy expanding privileges while many households struggle with rising living costs, public trust inevitably suffers.
The greatest risk is not simply financial. Public office can begin to look like a pathway to status rather than a responsibility to serve.
Malaysia should aspire to a different standard.
Being elected should mean accepting greater responsibility, not accumulating greater entitlement.
Rather than asking only whether MPs are overpaid, we should ask whether taxpayers are receiving value from the public money they provide.
A mature democracy pays its representatives fairly. It also expects every allowance, facility and privilege to serve a legitimate public purpose, remain subject to independent oversight and withstand public scrutiny.
Ultimately, the measure of public office is not how much an MP receives. It is how much they return to the people who entrusted them with the role. ‒ Aug 25, 2026
KT Maran is a Focus Malaysia viewer.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
