Malé, Maldives – Some government-affiliated members of parliament have voiced opposition to the administration’s proposal to reduce the salaries of top officials across the three branches of government and heads of independent institutions by 10 percent. The proposal, part of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s Economic Reform Agenda, was discussed in the Parliament’s Public Finance Committee.

The government had announced last October its decision to cut the salaries of political appointees, MPs, judges, and heads of independent institutions, along with those in state-owned enterprises, as part of broader efforts to reduce state expenditure. The measure, aimed at curbing costs, was intended to last for two years.

Opposition from Key MPs

During a Public Finance Committee meeting held yesterday, committee chair and MP for Maamigili, Qasim Ibrahim, argued that reducing salaries was not the best course of action. He warned that such a move could harm the government’s credibility.

“If we try to reduce people’s salaries, the damage to the government’s reputation will be far greater. Instead, we should explore other ways to cut expenses,” said Qasim, who also leads the Jumhooree Party.

He emphasized that at a time when the cost of living is rising, cutting salaries would only worsen the situation for officials affected by the decision.

Legal Challenges to Salary Reduction

Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, who represents Dhuvaafaru and is affiliated with the PNC, pointed out that under existing laws, salary reductions cannot be implemented for many institutions. He stated that even if reductions were applied to the few institutions that legally allow it, the savings would amount to just MVR 14 million annually.

Instead, Nazim proposed merging or eliminating unnecessary institutions within the government.

“For example, the Media Council and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission perform similar functions. Merging them could save MVR 18 million per year,” he said.

He also suggested that institutions like the National Integrity Commission and the Human Rights Commission could be combined to further cut costs.

Alternative Cost-Cutting Measures

Qasim supported these proposals, arguing that eliminating redundant institutions would be more effective than salary cuts. He specifically mentioned the Road Development Corporation, stating that dissolving it could save MVR 40 million.

MP Ahmed Saleem (Redwave Saleem) also backed the idea of studying other cost-cutting methods before implementing salary reductions. He proposed summoning senior Finance Ministry officials to the committee for further discussions.

A final decision on the matter is expected to be made on February 20.

Under Maldivian law, any changes to the salaries of ministers, judges, independent institution heads, and MPs can only be approved by Parliament.