Parliament accepts bill on allowing state spending on private residence of president

The parliament has accepted a bill on allowing state spending on the private residences of presidents, in the event that a president and his family chooses not to live in the official residence.

The bill, submitted by Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed, was accepted with 30 votes in favour, 17 against, and one abstention.

The bill proposes four amendments to the law on salaries and privileges of presidents and vice presidents.

The law presently states that the state should spend only on the official residences of the president and vice president.

Presenting the bill to the parliament, Riyaz said that as long as the president does not live in the official residence, the state should provide staff and security at his private residence.

Riyaz said that the same budget assigned for the official residence should be used also for the private residence, and that this budget should not be used for any expenses other than providing staff and security.

Upon assuming office, President Yameen Abdul Gayoom announced that he will live at his private residence, G. Dhoovehi. He also said that he will only accept half of the salary of a president, that is, MVR 50,000 instead of MVR 100,000.

In spite of this, the proposed State Budget for 2014 states that the spending on the official residence of the president, Muleeaage, will increase by 8 percent next year.

The expense amount stated on 2013’s budget for Muleeaage is MVR 17.7 million, while the amount stated on 2014’s budget is MVR 19.1 million.