Sri Lanka’s government has ended pensions for former members of parliament to cut political perks. This move came after ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa refused to leave a government bungalow. Justice Minister Harsana Nanayakkara said, “When people see the quality of debate and what members say in this House, they don’t think MPs deserve a pension.” Parliamentary vote was 154 in favor and only 2 against, ending pensions at once. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa disagreed, warning pensions are needed for MPs’ social security post-office to prevent corruption. Earlier, MPs got pensions after five years, less than the 10 years required for other state workers. Alongside pensions, other privileges like luxury vehicles, government fuel, secretarial staff, and personal security for former presidents were also cut. Rajapaksa spent about 800 million rupees ($2.6 million) refurbishing a state house after leaving office in 2021. His brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left office in 2022 amid crisis and then vacated a state bungalow. Many of these official homes date back to the British colonial era, originally built for senior civil servants from London.