PUTRAJAYA: Anthony Loke and other DAP lawmakers are ready to sacrifice and take only one pension scheme, as it is necessary to reduce the government's financial liability.
Loke, who is DAP secretary-general, said that as political leaders, they should lead by example.
He said he welcomed the call made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for politicians to take only a single pension scheme.
"We (DAP) are with the government on this change. It is a necessary change for the financial standing of the country.
"As politicians, we are ready to sacrifice. This is the spirit in the party and the government (that they are ready) for a new change.
"As political leaders, we have to lead by example, and under the advice of the prime minister, we don't have any issue adopting it," he said after unveiling the exclusive vehicle registration numbers in conjunction with the 50th Federal Territories Day.
Last week, Anwar told politicians, who are entitled to more than one pension scheme, to uphold their moral responsibility by choosing only one.
The Seremban member of parliament and Chennah assemblyman said that as he had yet to reach his retirement age, he did not know of the retirement scheme that he would be eligible for.
He added that the new pension scheme was at the proposal stage.
"The proposal from the prime minister that politicians serving in many capacities focus on only one pension is a good suggestion.
"If we want to amend the pension system for politicians, there should be an amendment to Act 237 (Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980) and state enactments, as pensions for state assemblymen are from the state budget.
"If a politician serves in many capacities (in the state and federal levels), there may be amendments that need to be made to the law that will allow them to take only one pension scheme," he said.
It was expected that the government would have to set aside RM120 billion for pension payments in 2040 if the existing policy of permanent hiring in the civil service continued.