Politics isn’t about big money or power games; it’s about the improvement of people’s lives.
– Paul Wellstone, US senator
Do lawmakers really deserve what they are paid for? This interesting question was posed by one of our youngest MP – Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
I must applaud the Muar MP for having the gumption to bring up the matter which many of the serving YBs would probably choose to avoid talking about – the multiple pensions for lawmakers.
And understandably so because they have personal interests in the matter. So, it’s best to pretend that it has never been an issue and hope that no one will ever bring it up.
In the Syed Saddiq video, which must have gone viral by now, the sole Muda MP repeatedly stated that multiple pensions given to elected representatives should be abolished.
According to Syed Saddiq, the multiple pension scheme for politicians was a very unhealthy political culture. He explained that it was also unfair to civil servants who have to serve for a few decades but get only one pension.
Syed Saddiq cited the example of his mother who served 30 years as a teacher before she was entitled to receive her single pension.
An MP or a state assemblyperson is entitled to several pensions if he or she has served as MP, state assemblyperson, minister, state exco, speaker or chairperson of GLCs.
Referring to himself, Syed Saddiq said that he was receiving his salary/allowances/perks as an MP and a pension as a minister, even though only served less than two years in the federal cabinet.
The Muda leader pointed out that he also has to lose the lucrative income if his suggestion to abolish the multiple pension scheme for elected reps was implemented. But he was prepared to forgo the monetary reward because a bad political culture must go.
I agree with Syed Saddiq that it is an unhealthy political culture and most unfair indeed to long-serving civil servants.
Because of the multiple pensions, self-serving lawmakers will be fighting for more posts, neglecting their duties and responsibilities to their constituents in the process.
Multiple pensions can also erode public trust in the political system. If citizens perceive that politicians are benefiting personally from their public service through multiple pensions, it can contribute to a sense of distrust and cynicism.
The accumulation of multiple pensions can contribute to the perception that politicians feel entitled to generous benefits, regardless of their performance or the state of public finances.
This perception can further alienate politicians from the people they are meant to represent.
To foster a healthier political culture, it’s important to review and reform pension systems to ensure that they are fair, transparent, and aligned with the principles of accountability, equity, and responsible use of public funds.
This might involve implementing limits on the number of pensions politicians can receive, ensuring that pensions are based on performance and service, and making pension systems more transparent and accessible to the public.
I honestly believe that a single pension for an elected representative is fair irrespective of the number of public offices he holds throughout his political career.
On this subject of pension for lawmakers, I also wish to honour my dear friend, the late Dr Patau Rubis, for being the only lawmaker honest enough to share with me how much he had received as a state assemblyman, MP and assistant minister.
He must also have mentioned to others as well that he was duty bound to continue serving the rakyat even though he was no longer an elected rep (following his final defeat in the 1999 general election) because he was still paid from the public coffers.
The good doctor kept his word. He collapsed and died from cardiac arrest while chairing his party meeting in Kuching in 2016. He had served as a public servant till his last breath.
From an ethical standpoint, Dr Patau was one politician who prioritised the well-being of the people and the responsible use of public resources over personal financial gain.
Rest well, Doc. You rightly used your pension to give back to the people as it was from their taxes that they paid. To you, it was more about giving rather than receiving.
Now, I wonder how many of my other friends who are also lawmakers would think and act like the good Dr Patau. A handful are also generous souls but I doubt the majority will.
To Syed Saddiq, you deserve a A++ for bringing up this multiple pension issue. Well done.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
