Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah has defended the special health insurance package provided to members of the People’s Majlis, saying it places a smaller burden on the state budget than the general Aasandha system.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate on a petition signed by more than 7,000 people that calls for the package to be abolished, Falah said he supports the principle that no citizen should receive benefits unavailable to the general public. He nevertheless argued that the existing arrangement is financially advantageous to the state.
Under the current package the government pays MVR 24,000 per MP per year to an insurance company, providing coverage up to MVR 1.3 million. Falah said that if MPs were moved to Aasandha, which has no fixed limit, the cost to the state could rise significantly.
He told the petitioners that they need to understand the figures: the state currently spends only MVR 24,000 per member annually. Other MPs also indicated they are prepared to give up the special package, while stressing the importance of understanding its impact on public finances.
The debate took place on 19 October.
