Higher ministerial pay may ease recruitment hurdle, but other deterrents remain: Analysts

“From an HR perspective, that is a sensible distinction. Competitiveness does not necessarily mean matching the highest-paying alternative. It means ensuring that the overall proposition is credible for the talent and responsibilities involved,” he added. 

Mr Aslam noted that private sector pay varies widely: in 2025, the CEO of CapitaLand Investment was paid about S$5.08 million, Singapore Airlines’ CEO S$7 million, and DBS’ CEO S$9.64 million. 

This, he said, is why the changes should be seen as restoring market relevance to political salaries rather than closing a simple gap with private-sector leaders.

PUBLIC REACTION

Experts said publishing the figures in detail helps the public understand how politicians are paid and evaluated. 

Ministerial responsibilities are difficult to compare with most other jobs, and the explanations provide context for how the new benchmark was set, Dr Teo said.

However, being transparent about the figures will inevitably invite comparisons with ordinary Singaporeans’ own pay, she said.

“With finances and cost of living being something that is typically top of people’s lists of concerns, it will be hard to stop people from making comparisons to their own personal situations,” she added. 

Assoc Prof Tan said the measures could carry a political cost if they go further than the public can accept, describing the headline figures as “mind-boggling” to the average Singaporean.

“Given the economic uncertainty and the imminent technological disruptions at workplaces, today’s announcement could come across as being tone-deaf or even self-serving,” he said. 

While the issue is unlikely to win votes, he added, the government cannot shy away from it if it wants to sustain and strengthen Singapore’s system.

It is important for political leadership to show that Singapore needs capable and committed leaders – a vital ingredient to the country’s success that may have been taken for granted, he said.

“This in turn requires the ruling party and prime minister to demand high standards of political office holders and to be rigorous in ensuring that quality of leadership is not only maintained but enhanced.”