Mubarak wants pension increase

KOTA BHARU: The Malaysian Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak) urged the government to consider increasing the pension of its members, especially the former Senate and Parliament members.

Its president, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Rahman, said the situation now was unlike before when the former elected representatives would also have their allowance increased when the government announced an increase in the salary and allowance for civil servants.

“The pension issue involving former elected representatives (former Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara members) has been going on for some time and there is no solution to it until now.

“Amendment to the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 237 Clause 20 in 2015 saw the abolishment of pension increase for former elected representatives and replaced with an annual increase of two per cent only, as enjoyed by retirees in the public service,” he told Bernama after the 14th Mubarak general assembly here yesterday.

Abdul Aziz said at the state level, there were state governments which provided increment in salary and allowance of State Assembly members, Menteri Besar and Chief Minister, Speaker and state executive council members and at the same time increased the pension rate as provided in the enactment of the respective states.

“Any salary increase to incumbent state assembly members should be followed with an increase in pension for the retired assemblymen.

“We found there are states which increased the salary or allowance of assemblymen and others, but did not increase the pension rate (of the former assemblymen), like in Penang, Selangor, Perak and Johor,” he said.

He said at this year’s assembly, Mubarak decided to get the government to amend Clause 20 of Act 237 by reinserting the pension increase for former elected representatives.

“Mubarak also wants the government to give full pension to the spouse of former elected representatives after the demise of the pension recipients until they die, and also the eligibility to receive the pension even if the person only served as an elected representative for one day,” he said. - Bernama

Mubarak also wants all dealing concerning the interests of parliamentary members to be dealt by Parliament, instead of the Public Service Department, he added. - Bernama