GEORGE TOWN: Penang should introduce a "one person, one pension" policy to prevent former elected representatives and political office holders from collecting multiple pensions funded by taxpayers, says Ong Ah Teong (PH-Batu Lanchang).
Ong said the state government should review the pension system for assemblymen, executive councillors, chief ministers and political secretaries to ensure fairness and financial sustainability.
He said politicians who had held several public offices could potentially receive two or three separate pensions upon retirement.
"Some former politicians may qualify for pensions as MPs, assemblymen, executive councillors, chief ministers or political secretaries.
"This raises questions about social justice, accountability and the financial burden on the state government," he said when debating the Penang Budget 2027 at the state assembly sitting on Monday (Nov 2).
Ong claimed that a former senior politician who had held several positions could potentially receive combined monthly pensions of about RM30,000 for life.
He cited illustrative estimates of RM9,600 for a former MP, RM6,000 for an assemblyman, RM8,000 for a chief minister, RM7,000 for an executive councillor and RM3,000 for a political secretary.
However, he said the actual amounts would depend on the salary scales and pension rules applicable at the time of retirement.
Ong questioned why politicians could potentially accumulate pension entitlements from several positions while ordinary civil servants were subject to different pension arrangements.
He said the issue had been raised in the state assembly as early as 1972, when lawmakers questioned whether politicians should qualify for lifetime pensions after serving only a few years.
Similar concerns about overlapping pension entitlements were raised during assembly debates in 1993, he added.
Ong proposed amending the Members of the Administration and Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) Enactment 1980 to introduce a "one person, one highest pension" principle.
Under the proposal, individuals eligible for multiple pensions would receive only one monthly pension at the highest applicable rate.
"This would prevent overlapping payments, reduce government expenditure and restore public confidence in the integrity and fairness of the administration," he said.
Ong also cited Singapore as an example, noting that it abolished its parliamentary pension scheme for politicians who began serving on or after May 21, 2011.
He said the move placed newer political office holders under the Central Provident Fund retirement savings system.
"At a time when ordinary Malaysians are struggling with rising living costs, inflation and insufficient EPF retirement savings, the practice of paying multiple pensions to politicians deserves serious review," he said.
Ong urged the Penang government to take the lead in reforming political pensions and ensuring that public funds were managed responsibly.
