President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has called for reducing state-funded benefits for former presidents and ex-members of parliament, framing the move as a clear public mandate. In a message conveyed to People’s National Congress (PNC) lawmakers earlier this week, he urged action to align policy with voter sentiment: “This is what the people want. We are the representatives and servants of the people”.
The push comes amid a renewed social-media debate over lifetime entitlements. The hashtag #AbolishExMPBenefits is gaining traction on X (Twitter), amplified by activist @jubraanshareef and joined by other Maldivian users weighing costs and priorities.
Policy context shows successive administrations have already trimmed parts of the package for former presidents. In 2016, regulations cut the monthly secretariat budget for ex-presidents to MVR 87,000 and capped housing and medical provisions; the core pension in law remained MVR 75,000 for two-term presidents and MVR 50,000 for one-term presidents. In 2020, public summaries again listed MVR 75,000 stipend, MVR 10,000 housing and MVR 87,000 office funding per month.
Scrutiny of ex-MP allowances has intensified too. Fresh figures reported this week show the state spent MVR 35.1 million on former-MP allowances over the past decade, with annual costs and beneficiary numbers rising each year. The law grants a 30% service allowance of an MP’s salary after one term and 45% after two terms, payable once a former MP leaves office and reaches the qualifying age; health insurance equivalent to sitting MPs and official passports are also provided. A previous move to repeal these benefits was rejected by the then-parliament, keeping the scheme intact.
President Muizzu’s call dovetails with his broader “tighten-the-belt” messaging—last year he publicly said he would forgo 50% of his presidential salary as part of an economic reform drive.
Current state-backed benefits
Former Presidents (Act No. 9/2009 and subsequent regulations)
- Monthly pension: MVR 75,000 (two terms) or MVR 50,000 (one term).
- Secretariat/office: MVR 87,000 per month (capped line items).
- Housing & medical: capped under 2016 rules; public summaries also note MVR 10,000 housing allowance.
Former Members of Parliament (Privileges & Powers Act, 2013)
- Service allowance after leaving office and reaching the qualifying age: 30% of MP salary (one term) or 45% (two terms). Example: MVR 19,125 for two-term ex-MPs at current base.
- Health insurance (equivalent to sitting MPs) and official passport; rising fiscal outlay over 2014–2024 documented by recent data.
