Pres. Muizzu affirms concerns regarding basic pension will be investigated

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has assured that concerns raised regarding the basic pension scheme will be investigated.

During the ‘Rayyithunge Adu’ program, an individual who had served the state for more than 46 years raised concerns with the President regarding the disbursement of pension payments.

The individual, a retiree from the Auditor General’s Office, said that while they understood the office was responsible for providing monthly basic pension payments, they had not been receiving the payments regularly, with payments having been made only in two lump-sum installments. The retiree also expressed concern over reports that the government intends to discontinue certain basic pension payments.

In response, President Muizzu said that he had not previously been made aware of the specific issue.

"I am very grateful to you for bringing this matter to my attention. We will investigate the circumstances surrounding this situation and determine the appropriate course of action," the President assured.

Concerns surrounding the pension fund have persisted for years, with particular criticism directed at the "double pension" policy. As a result, amendments have periodically been introduced to reform the pension framework.

Notably, recent amendments to the Pension Act permit individuals with terminal medical conditions, who are not expected to survive for more than a year, to withdraw their pension savings as a single lump-sum payment.

Under the amended regulations, individuals whose total income exceeds the amount designated as the elderly basic pension are also ineligible to receive the basic pension.