\n<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE \u2013 The committee reviewing political salaries<\/span><\/a> has submitted its recommendations, but the Government will defer considering them until the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on Singapore is clearer.<\/p>\n The committee submitted its recommendations to the Government in April, said Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing on May 6 in a written parliamentary reply to Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC).<\/p>\n Mr Yam had asked about the status of the review in view of recent global events.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Government recognises that the Middle East conflict is still ongoing, causing major economic uncertainties and clouding the outlook for Singapore,\u201d said Mr Chan, who is also Defence Minister. <\/p>\n It will release the committee\u2019s report together with the Government\u2019s response \u201cat the appropriate time\u201d, and MPs will have the opportunity then to review the report and government response together \u201cfor a more meaningful debate\u201d, he added. <\/p>\n An eight-person committee was formed in January to review the salaries of Singapore\u2019s political appointment holders, who include all ministers and MPs.<\/p>\n It is chaired by Mr Gan Seow Kee, who is chairman of the Singapore LNG Corporation and an alternate member of the Council of Presidential Advisers.<\/p>\n The committee was asked to recommend the appropriate salary levels based on the current salary framework, and propose refinements where necessary so that the framework continues to be relevant.<\/p>\n The salaries have not been adjusted since 2012, when the Government accepted a review committee\u2019s recommendations that put in place the current salary framework.<\/p>\n This is the second time in recent years that changes to political salaries have been deferred due to global instability.<\/p>\n