Former Fiji First General Secretary and Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has challenged all those MP’s who voted against or abstained on the pay rise and increase in benefits, should not benefit from it.

He stated in a social media post that if they were genuine in their opposition or abstention, then they should have by now donated the money to a worthy charitable organisation or set up a trust to pool their funds together and give it to a charitable organisation to help ordinary Fijians.

MP’s who voted against or abstained were Faiyaz Koya, Hem Chand, Premila Kumar, Joseph Nand, Viam Pillay, Rinesh Sharma, Ketan Lal. Prof Biman Prasad, Pio Tikoduadua, Agni Deo Singh, Lenora Qereqeretabua and Sashi Kiran. MP Praveen Bala wasn’t present in Parliament at the time of the vote.

“These MPs, should they go ahead with this idea, should also make public the details of any trust and/or monies paid to charitable trusts or organisations,” said Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.

“This way, the ordinary Fijian would know that these MPs genuinely opposed the pay rise and increase in benefits.”

“It will demonstrate their sincerity, show the greed and morally bankrupt position of those who voted for it and frankly it will be a politically smart move.”

“If they don’t, then they are just as bad if not worse than those who openly and ashamedly voted for the pay rise and increase in benefits for themselves while ordinary Fijians were and are facing increasingly daily uphill challenges.”

All five NFP members in Parliament voted against the motion to increase MPs’ salaries and allowances.