President Muizzu to donate incremented portion of salary if implemented

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, reiterating that he did not request a salary increment, states if the salary increased, the amount by it is increased, will be donated to social funds.

MDP-dominated Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, on Tuesday, passed to increase the salaries of the president, the vice president, cabinet ministers and parliamentarians; a decision which was met with public outrage.

The government, on Wednesday, confirmed that the increments had not been requested by President Muizzu, accusing MDP of trying to incite hatred among the public towards the government.

President Muizzu, in a post on X, reaffirmed that he did not request for the salaries of himself, the vice president and cabinet ministers to be increased nor did the senior government officials wish for such a change.

“Therefore, we have decided to donate the increment to the salaries approved without any discussions to social funds such as the Kudakudhinge Hiyaa [a children’s shelter],” his post read.

Therefore, if the salary increment is implemented as approved by the Committee, senior government officials will be donating the increment to social funds. 

The increments the Committee passed on Tuesday are as follows;

• The salaries of parliamentarians, including allowances, from MVR 82,500 to MVR 100,000
• The salary of the president from MVR 100,000 to MVR 120,000
• The salary of the vice president from MVR 75,000 to MVR 93,000
• The salary of cabinet ministers from MVR 66,000 to MVR 74,000

The committee also approved increments to the salaries of judges. As such the committee decided to increase the salary of chief justice to MVR 91,000, and the salary of other justices at the Supreme Court to MVR 89,000.

The committee decided to increase the salary of the chief judge of High Court to MVR 70,000, and other High Court judges to MVR 68,000.

It also decided to increase the salary of chief judges at the Criminal Court, the Civil Court, Family Court and Juvenile Court to MVR 62,000, and the rest of the judges at the superior courts to MVR 60,000.

They also approved increasing the salaries of members of local councils as follows;

• Mayors – MVR 46,000
• Deputy mayors – MVR 40,500
• Councilors in city councils – MVR 35,000
• Atoll council presidents – MVR 33,000
• Island council presidents – MVR 25,000
• Island council deputy presidents – MVR 20,000
• Councilors in island councils – MVR 18,000

All the decisions were reached by the unanimous consensus of all members in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.