Singapore. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong told Parliament on Tuesday that the salaries of political leaders will be increased. This will increase the salary of ministers by more than 60%.
Singapore has justified the huge salaries of political leaders. It has been argued that this attracts capable people and ensures good governance. Yet the issue is politically sensitive, as the income of cabinet members is much higher than the income of most ordinary citizens.
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Wong said that following the change, his annual benchmark salary will increase from S$2.2 million ($1.7 million) to S$3.6 million. The deputy prime minister's salary will rise from S$1.87 million to S$3.06 million, while cabinet ministers will receive salaries ranging from S$1.80 million to S$2.88 million, depending on their seniority and the importance of the portfolio.
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Wong said he plans to donate his entire salary increase during his tenure to worthy causes. Even before the increase in salary, the salary of the Prime Minister of Singapore was much more than the salary of many other leaders including America and G7 countries.
“Political pay is a difficult and emotional issue,” Wong said. Wong's People's Action Party has been in power for a long time and dominates Singapore's Parliament and its 21-member Cabinet. “The money involved is far more than most citizens earn, so I understand why Singaporeans scrutinize this closely and why many have such strong opinions about this case,” he said.
However, Wong said the real issue is whether Singapore will have the political leadership needed to move our country forward in the coming decades. Singapore is consistently ranked among the countries with the least corruption in the world. Wong said the salary increase was recommended by an independent committee. He also said that existing officials will not be brought to the new pay scales immediately.