Members of Parliament (MPs) have been called ‘greedy’ and ‘selfish’ after pushing the government to increase their salaries and allowances during the passing of the 2018-19 national budget.

A concerned citizen, Reverend Stanley Chimesya, who is also the Chaplain for Malawi Prisons, said the MPs are failing to prioritize the needs for the poor Malawians.

He accused the law-makers for deliberately lending a deaf ear to the civil servant’s complaints about low salaries and financial challenges rocking institutions like hospitals and prisons.

Reverend Chimesya said: “The decision to increase their salaries and allowances just indicate how selfish they are and it’s a sign that they don’t have people’s welfare at heart instead their only priority is to enrich themselves.”

He however urged Malawians to always come out and voice their concerns whenever such malpractices happen instead of just keeping quite.

“Malawians should bury the mindset of just watching the authorities squandering tax payer’s money but instead we must come out of the cocoon and stand up against such malpractices,” he said.

On Friday, members of parliament passed a K1.454 trillion national budget for 2018/19 fiscal year after forcing government to increase their salaries and allowances by 10%.

The law-maker’s development funding was also increased.