The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) parliamentary group leader and mid-Henveiru constituency lawmaker Ali Azim confirms lodging request at financial committee to slice salaries of lawmakers.
Ruling party affiliated MP noted he requested MPD to lodge the issue at Maldives Parliament's financial committee was pushed in light of the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus, which has presented severe economic setbacks to the island nation.
In his request, MP Azim had proposed to reduce 20% from the salaries of parliamentary members.
Meanwhile, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Sunday during the tele-conference initiated by Indian PM Narendra Modi for the SAARC region statesmen, claimed the island nation was looking ahead to face a major loss of USD450 million due to the viral pandemic.
President Solih further clarified the Maldives government was continuously attempting to ensure the island nation's public is not presented to dire circumstances. The Maldives statesman further noted the government was tirelessly working to ensure the rights of the public are protected and sustained.
The island nation is facing a major setback following it's government announcing a state of public health emergency on Thursday, 12 March 2020.
Since then Maldives government has imposed temporary travel restrictions on several global destinations including many European countries including Italy, Spain, Germany and two cities of France.
