Don't skip Parliament and earn over RM30k - Amanah Youth to PN MP

Summary

• Amanah Youth says Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari can earn more than RM30,000 a month if he attends all of the Dewan Rakyat sittings.

• Amanah Youth exco Nash Nahar explains that the amount comprises both salary and allowances, contrary to Fadhli’s claim that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had lied about an MP’s income.

Amanah Youth has refuted Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari’s rebuttal to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s statement that federal lawmakers could earn up to RM40,000 in monthly salaries.

Amanah Youth exco member Nash Nahar said Fadhli, for example, could earn over RM30,000 per month through full attendance during parliamentary sessions.

“Make sure to attend Parliament and fulfill your official duties.

“Based on official information, a regular MP receives income that includes various allowances in addition to their basic salary,” Nash (above) said in a statement responding to Fadhli’s criticisms on Anwar.

Fadhli had indicated that Anwar lied when touching on what MPs earn after opposition lawmakers made noise over the equal funding issue.

“Let us all pray during this Ramadan that our prime minister is guided to speak the truth and not exaggerate facts when delivering speeches,” the PAS information chief said.

In his response, Nash also listed the salaries and allowances received by an MP as follows:

• Basic allowance - RM16,000

• Entertainment allowance - RM2,500

• Driver’s allowance - RM1,500

• Fixed travel allowance - RM1,500

• Fuel allowance - RM1,500

• Toll allowance - RM300

• Telephone allowance - RM900

• Special payment for non-administrative MPs - RM1,500

• Parliament session attendance allowance - RM400 per day (for 20 days: RM8,000)

• Committee meeting attendance allowance - RM300 per day (for five days: RM1,500)

He added that this estimated monthly income of RM35,700 proves that a regular MP’s earnings can exceed RM30,000, depending on their attendance at sessions and official meetings.

READ MORE: Spend like an MP

“Therefore, the claim that MPs’ allowances do not reach RM30,000 is false,” the Amanah Youth leader said.

Laziness is the culprit

Nash said the problem instead lies in the opposition MPs’ laziness and ineffectiveness in conducting checks and balances on government policies in Parliament.

“I fully support the idea that opposition MPs should not receive allocations.

“It would be better if these allocations were directly given to the people through other channels. Show your commitment in Parliament first before demanding this and that. So now, who is lying - you or Anwar?” Nash questioned.

Yesterday, Anwar said he was puzzled by claims that opposition MPs earning five-figure wages are becoming poor without equal funding from Putrajaya.

Anwar pointed out that even without a memorandum of understanding for allocations, their constituencies still get funding, albeit channelled directly to the people or projects instead of going through the MPs.

As such, he questioned narratives that opposition MPs were racking up debts because they don't get equal funding.

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