SINGAPORE: Workers Party candidate Kenneth Foo tackled the issue of Mayors in Singapore in a speech he made at the party’s East Coast rally on Tuesday (April 29).
In its 2025 Manifesto, the WP has called for the Office of the Mayor to be abolished. The party argued that the assignment of Mayors aligns with existing political divisions and many of the roles handled by the Community Development Councils (CDCs) under Mayors have already gone back to other organisations, such as the Social Service Office. The WP added that Mayors’ reduced roles do not justify their high yearly salaries.
“The Mayor’s office was introduced in 1997, with updated roles in 2013. Given Singapore’s small size, this role is redundant and incurs a significant annual expense of $660,000. Notably, it is also a part-time role. Enhanced accountability for taxpayers’ funds is required,” commented Mr Foo.
In 2021, WP chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh said that there is scope for a serious review of the need to have full-time mayors, who are People’s Action Party MPs appointed to run the CDCs.
He added, “Many Singaporeans are of the view that the salaries of mayors are outrageous, principally because they are not perceived to be commensurate with a mayor’s roles and functions.”
According to the White Paper on Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government, published in 2012, Mayors are paid an annual salary of $660,000. As MPs, they receive an annual allowance of $192,500, not including bonuses.
The high price paid for mayors’ salaries and allowances has been a contentious issue for some time now, as there are Singaporeans who believe that the country simply isn’t big or populous enough to need mayors and that their duties are covered by other officials or agencies.
There are currently five district mayors: Low Yen Ling (South West), Denise Phua (Central), Fahmi Aliman (South East), Alex Yam (North West), and Desmond Choo (North East). CDCs, established in 1997, coordinate grassroots bodies and manage community programmes, with the aim of bringing the community closer. There are five CDCs – Central Singapore, North East, North West, South East, South West – corresponding with the five districts in Singapore.
At Tampines Changkat SMC, Mr Foo is up against Mr Choo, who has represented Tampines Changkat in Parliament since 2015, when it was still part of Tampines GRC. The newly created SMC was redrawn for this year’s GE.
Commenters on Mr Foo’s speech appeared to agree with him, adding that the money paid for Mayors’ salaries could have gone to better purposes.
“Voters in Tampines Changkat, please help us save some mayor’s salaries,” one YouTube user wrote.
“Thanks for bringing up the Mayor issue. Seriously, it should be scrapped. Waste of taxpayers’ money $660,000… the same money can be used towards helping our citizens who need more,” a Facebook user commented.
One wrote that they were “Very disappointed with the mayor for doing nothing and paid 660k using taxpayer money,” which “could have been used to do better things for the country.”
“YES, totally agreed. Waste of taxpayers’ money. These monies would be better used to employ those who have been retrenched, the elderly, or those past retirement age,” another wrote. /TISG