Ali Sabry: MPs’ pension repeal risks narrowing political space

Thursday, 8 January 2026 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former MP and Finance Minister Ali Sabry

Former MP and Finance Minister Ali Sabry has criticised the Government’s decision to abolish pension entitlements for former Members of Parliament, saying the move has no real economic impact and is driven by political optics rather than policy substance.

“The amounts involved are negligible. Saving this money will not fix the economy, reduce the deficit, or improve public services. Not even marginally,” Sabry said in a post on X.

He warned that the decision would have tangible social consequences, particularly for former legislators who served without personal financial gain. “Removing it does not punish corruption, it punishes those who did not enrich themselves in office,” Sabry said, adding that he personally knew former MPs who relied on the pension “as the only means of securing a dignified retirement after years of public service.”

Sabry said the abolition sends a broader signal about who can realistically participate in politics. “Politics is now effectively reserved for the ultra-rich, those with inherited wealth, or those permanently maintained by party machinery,” he said. As a result, “talented, capable, independent citizens who are not financially privileged will simply walk away from public life.”

He argued that the move amounts to exclusion rather than reform. “That is not reform, that is exclusion,” Sabry said, warning that such decisions could narrow Sri Lanka’s political space and encourage a one-party-dominant culture.

“If reform was the true objective, the solution was obvious: make it optional, subject to application and scrutiny, not a blanket abolition driven by populism,” he said.

Referring to Sri Lanka’s democratic history, Sabry said reforms should strengthen institutions rather than undermine them. “Reform should strengthen democracy, not quietly hollow it out. Justice should be targeted, not theatrical. And governance should be guided by reason, not applause,” he said, calling for “serious public debate, not blind celebration.”

In a postscript to the post, Sabry said he has never applied for a Parliamentary pension and noted that he is not entitled to do so, as his term in Parliament was less than five years.