Activists criticise gap between salaries of soldiers, politicians

AMMAN — Although some MPs have called for increasing the salaries of army and security personnel, social media activists have been criticising the big wage gap between those who do nothing and those who sacrifice their lives.

Following Sunday’s Lower House session, 63 MPs submitted a memorandum to the speaker, requesting an increase to the salaries of army and security personnel.

In the memo, a copy of which was seen by The Jordan Times, signatories cited the sacrifices of soldiers and security personnel and their tremendous efforts in safeguarding the country’s security.

The memo was submitted following Sunday’s session dedicated to discuss the controversial draft civil retirement law which was rejected by His Majesty King Abdullah in 2014 after it was endorsed by the two Houses of Parliament and was supposed to grant lawmakers lifetime pension benefits.

Meanwhile, activists have been gathering support for a campaign they launched on Facebook, seeking to increase the salaries of army and security personnel.

In their campaign, activists decry the high salaries of lawmakers “although they do little” compared with the “modest” salaries of security personnel “who sacrifice their lives” to protect the country.

The campaign has been receiving comments and likes by Facebook users after the Irbid security operation against a terror cell last week, in which one officer, Major Rashed Zyoud, was killed.

Activists also posted pictures of MPs and ministers either fighting or sleeping during Parliament sessions juxtaposed with pictures of security personnel on duty on the border or the streets.

Under one picture, Nadia Daraghmeh wrote: “This is just unfair”.

While for Hanan Sabha, “it is so unfair that those sleeping in their chairs [MPs] are paid higher salaries than soldiers who spend sleepless cold nights on the borders and sacrifice their lives to protect the country.”

Haydar Maaitah called for giving soldiers and security personnel the highest salaries in the Kingdom, citing their “tremendous” efforts in protecting the country.

Wadi Alamin Almomani said the goal of the campaign should be “to increase the salaries of [Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army] and other security personnel and retirees and to reduce the salaries of MPs, senators and ministers.”