Increasing salaries for political appointees without considering economic situation is unacceptable: Faisal
22 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2026 | ބުރާސްފަތި 09:42Former Vice President Faisal Naseem has urged the government to prioritize debt recovery and the protection of basic rights over increasing the salaries of political appointees during these challenging economic times. Highlighting that raising the pay of senior officials while ordinary employees face layoffs is unacceptable, he appealed to the Parliament to respect public sentiment and refrain from approving the proposed salary hikes.
Former Vice President Faisal Naseem delivers remarks during a rally held at the MDP headquarters. | MDP
Former Vice President Faisal Naseem has stated that the decision to increase the salaries of political appointees is unacceptable, noting that it further inflates the state's recurrent expenditure without regard for the country's current economic situation.
Faisal made these remarks in a post on X, following the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee's decision to increase the salaries of political appointees.
Former Vice President Faisal Naseem has stated that it is concerning to see decisions being made to increase spending at such a critical juncture when state expenditures must be curtailed. He emphasized that the highest priority at this time should be focused on overcoming the national debt and ensuring the protection of the citizens' fundamental rights.
Faisal emphasized that the government must prioritize providing uninterrupted support to Maldivian students studying abroad. He further noted that ensuring equitable access to social protection services through Aasandha and NSPA remains a critical responsibility of the administration.
Furthermore, he called for an immediate solution to the challenges faced by businesses in procuring goods.
In his post, Faisal further emphasized that at a time when ordinary employees in state-owned enterprises are being terminated under the guise of cost-cutting, it is absolutely unacceptable to increase the remuneration of senior political officials or expand the number of political appointments.
He further characterized this as a sensitive issue deeply intertwined with the sentiments of the public.
Although the Public Accounts Committee's decision has been tabled on the floor of the People's Majlis, Faisal has called on members to respect the sentiments of the public and reject these changes, noting that the issues facing the citizens remain without an adequate solution.
The government is facing a wave of criticism from the public and various political figures following the Public Accounts Committee's decision to increase salaries for several high-level positions at this time. With the Speaker of Parliament’s salary also set to rise, economic experts warn that these adjustments will impose a significant burden on the state budget.
