Salary review for political office holders deferred amid global uncertainty

SINGAPORE: The review of political office holders’ salaries, which had been announced earlier this year, has been put on hold for the time being, Chan Chun Sing, the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, announced on Wednesday (May 6).

Mr Chan said this in Parliament in response to a question from Alex Yam (PAP Marsiling-Yew Tee), who had asked about the status of the review in view of recent global events.

In January, Mr Chan had informed Parliament that an independent committee had been convened to conduct a review of the framework for political salaries laid out in 2012. 

In response to Mr Yam, the minister said that this review has since been completed, and recommendations by the committee were submitted to the Government last month.

“The Government recognises that the Middle East conflict is still ongoing, causing major economic uncertainties and clouding the outlook for Singapore. Against this backdrop, the Government has decided to defer consideration of the Committee’s recommendations until the impact of the conflict on Singapore is clearer,” Mr Chan said.

The report from the committee, as well as the government’s response to it, will be released at “the appropriate time,” he said, adding that MPs will have the opportunity to review the report and the government’s response together at that point “for a more meaningful debate.”

Ministers’ salaries

The last time that ministers’ salaries went up was in 2017, after former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong formed a committee to review these salaries. The committee recommended that they be adjusted to reflect “annual benchmark movements,” given a 9% increase in benchmark salaries.

At that point, then-Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said that the salaries would be reviewed once more after five years, “or when it becomes necessary.”

Mr Chan said earlier this year that from 2012 to the present, the norm annual salary for an entry-level minister has stayed at S$1.1 million. /TISG

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