Singaporeans once again question why mayors are paid S$852,500 annually, and if they serve a purpose being full-time staff

Singapore—Information circulating about the salaries of mayors has caused some netizens to express how unhappy they are at the high price taxpayers are paying.

A Facebook post on Wake Up, Singapore shows how the salaries and allowances of Singapore’s five mayors, Ms Low Yen Ling (South West District), Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Central Singapore District), Mr Desmond Choo, (North East District), Mr Alex Yam, (North West District) and Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman (South East District)— come at the price of S$4,262,500 per year.

The high price paid for mayor’s 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.

Moreover, the post also adds that each mayor is paid S$660,000 a year on top of their annual MP (Member of Parliament) allowance of S$192,500.

In comparison, New York City’s mayor earns roughly S$335,000 annually.

The post also includes a remark from the Leader of Opposition, Workers’ Party secretary-general Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC).

Mr Singh was quoted in AsiaOne on Feb 25, 2021, as saying, “Many Singaporeans are of the view that that the salaries of mayors are outrageous, principally because they are not perceived to be commensurate with a mayor’s roles and functions.”

And Wake Up, Singapore captioned the post with, “Singapore need so many mayors for what?”

Commenters were in agreement with the Leader of the Opposition. 

One netizen placed the salaries of mayors in the context of the lack of a minimum wage in Singapore. 

Several expressed the view that Singapore’s small size does not warrant mayors. 

Others decried what they perceived to be a waste of taxpayers’ money.

One netizen suggested that the group representation constituency (GRC) should be divided into single member constituencies (SMC) in order to eliminate the need for mayors.

Others said that they would prefer for the S$4 million to be used to uplift the lives of the needy or those from lower-income families.

One netizen asked if the mayors “have they been doing anything good to improve the living of the people?”

/TISG

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