MUAR MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has called for an end to lifetime pensions for politicians, proposing that they should receive Employee Provident Fund (EPF) contributions instead.
The former youth and sports minister highlighted the disparity between the treatment of politicians and civil servants, noting that civil servants must work for decades to earn a modest pension. In contrast, politicians receive lifetime pensions after their first election.
“I’ve actually gone one step forward.
“Even before this parliamentary session, I not only raised this issue up in Parliament but I also put forward a private member’s bill to remove pensions from politicians, including myself, and to transition to an EPF scheme,” Malaysiakini quoted him as saying.
A private member’s bill is a proposed law brought by a parliamentarian who is not part of the government. Syed Saddiq is of the view that it is unjust and immoral for politicians to enjoy lifetime pensions, especially as the government moves civil servants away from pension schemes.
Despite his position in the opposition, Syed Saddiq expressed his willingness to support government-proposed laws on the matter if his private member’s bill is rejected.
“And that also means supporting the removal of my own pension,” he added.
Reports estimate Syed Saddiq’s pension at RM18,582, reflecting his tenure as the former youth and sports minister and Muar MP since 2018.
Moreover, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has highlighted that only 29% of Malaysians have a pension or pension-like income during retirement.
In January, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi revealed that the government is planning a new recruitment policy for the civil service, introducing non-pensionable permanent employment.
Anwar called for politicians holding multiple portfolios or positions to be “morally responsible” by opting for only one pension scheme. He assured that existing civil servants and politicians eligible for pensions would not be affected by the proposed public service remuneration system.
Previously, then-domestic trade and cost of living minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali informed Parliament that elected representatives could receive multiple pensions based on different acts, ordinances, or enactments.
However, Anwar stated that the Cabinet would finalise the matter after considering feedback from various parties and conducting studies involving aspects of the Federal Constitution. – June 28, 2024
