Parliament in brief: Speaker’s pay and other highlights from Oct 6

INCREASES TO SALARIES OF PRESIDENT, SPEAKER, DEPUTY SPEAKER

Parliament unanimously approved three motions relating to salary and allowance adjustments for the president, speaker of parliament and deputy speakers of parliament.

The three motions tabled by Leader of the House Indranee Rajah came after the House debated and approved the increase to political salaries last month. From Oct 15, political office holders will receive up to 9 per cent increase in their salaries, while allowances for Members of Parliament were also raised.

There was no debate on Tuesday as no MP rose to speak on the motions, which sought parliament’s resolution to implement the recommendations from the independent review committee to adjust the salary packages of the three roles.

With parliament approving the motions, the privy purse, which is used to meet the president’s salary, will be raised from S$1,568,900 (US$1,230,000) to S$2,568,200.

This gives effect to the salary adjustment for the president, which is pegged to the reference monthly salary of the prime minister and also consists of a 13th month bonus and an annual variable component pegged to rates received by the civil service, Ms Indranee said in her speech.

Meanwhile, the annual salary of the Speaker, if it were a full-time post, is pegged to the MR4 minister reference annual salary, comprising a monthly base salary, 13th month bonus and an annual variable component.

As it is a part-time post, the Speaker will receive half of the MR4 reference annual salary, bringing the sum from S$550,000 to S$900,000 a year.

Similarly, as the Deputy Speaker position is also a part-time post, the annual allowance is pegged at 15 per cent of the Speaker’s part-time annual salary, bringing the amount from S$82,500 to S$135,000 a year.