Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has disclosed that the proposal to eliminate pensions for politicians will undergo thorough deliberation at the Cabinet level before proceeding to Parliament for a final decision. Stressing the need for transparency and moral responsibility, Anwar expressed the complexity of justifying the continuation of pensions exclusively for politicians, suggesting that a comprehensive review is warranted.
In addressing concerns about potential discrepancies between politicians and civil servants, Anwar asserted that if civil servants are devoid of pension benefits, politicians should follow suit. However, he underscored the importance of parliamentary approval and the need for consistency in policymaking. Anwar clarified that the proposal has not yet been presented to Members of Parliament for preliminary discussions but affirmed his commitment to presenting it if the Cabinet endorses the decision.
During a speech inaugurating the Negeri Sembilan state-level Madani Programme, Anwar emphasized the importance of unity and consistency in policy implementation. He urged MPs to consider the proposal based on moral responsibility and economic reasoning, expressing the difficulty in rationalizing exceptions for politicians.
Anwar recalled that the idea of abolishing the pension system for civil servants was previously raised during his tenure as the finance minister in the 1990s, but it was not executed at that time. He highlighted the necessity of fully explaining the proposed changes, including their economic implications, to ensure that civil servants do not feel disadvantaged under the new retirement system.
Addressing concerns about the impact on the country's economy, Anwar argued that sustaining the existing pension scheme would be unsustainable, citing examples of wealthy nations abandoning similar systems. He assured that individuals currently receiving pensions would be unaffected, emphasizing that the changes would apply to new civil servants, whose allowances would remain unchanged.
In conclusion, Anwar called for clarity from the Public Service Department in explaining the proposed changes and their implications, aiming to foster understanding and support for the potential overhaul of the pension system for both politicians and civil servants.
Young Sok Fun is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.
