Draft Bill to Abolish MPs' Pension Scheme – Minister Vasantha

06-Aug-2025

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Minister of Trade Vasantha Samarasinghe announced that a bill to abolish the pension scheme for Members of Parliament is in the pipeline and will be implemented in the future.

Responding to comments made by former MP Nandana Gunathilake of the National People's Power (NPP), Samarasinghe emphasized that the current government is committed to reducing privileges granted to politicians.

Gunathilake had argued that, having lost his job due to full-time political involvement, the removal of his pension would leave him without a livelihood. He warned that if such a bill were passed, its proponents would have to face the consequences, stating his case publicly on Facebook.

Speaking to the media in Anuradhapura, Minister Samarasinghe reiterated that politics should not be a career for survival. He reminded the public that both before the presidential and parliamentary elections, the party had pledged that the country comes before politicians’ personal gain.

He criticized the disproportionate privileges enjoyed by former Presidents and MPs and highlighted the urgent need to redirect public funds toward the suffering masses. 

The government, he said, is working to repeal the special laws created for former Presidents and to eliminate pensions for MPs. He argued that it is unfair for politicians to draft laws that benefit themselves at the expense of the public.

Samarasinghe further remarked that if individuals view politics as their livelihood, it represents a system the government fundamentally rejects. He advised that anyone unable to live without such privileges could apply for Aswesuma (social welfare benefits) instead.