President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced today (21) in Parliament that he has submitted a letter requesting the abolition of MPs’ pensions. He further stated that a bill will be introduced in Parliament in the future to formally eliminate these pensions, along with amendments to the Presidential Privileges Act.
Speaking in Parliament, President Dissanayake explained, “Some of these privileges have only come to our attention recently. When I assumed the presidency, I discovered that I was entitled to an MP’s pension in addition to the presidential salary. However, I have no intention of accepting it. Today, I submitted a letter to Parliament stating that I do not wish to receive this pension, as my priority is to rebuild this country.”
He also addressed concerns regarding ministerial salaries, stating that when an MP is appointed as a minister, they currently receive both the MP’s salary and the ministerial salary. “We have decided that ministers and deputy ministers will only receive their MP’s salary. However, while ministers are entitled to an oil allowance, we will adjust this by removing the oil allowance from the MP’s salary and granting it separately. Additionally, MPs’ pensions will be completely abolished. The Presidential Privileges Act will also undergo amendments,” he added.
These reforms signal the administration’s commitment to restructuring political privileges in pursuit of a more transparent and accountable governance system.
