{"id":83916,"date":"2026-09-10T23:51:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T15:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=83916"},"modified":"2026-09-10T23:51:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T15:51:02","slug":"governments-approach-is-to-raise-political-salaries-progressively-and-with-restraint-pm-wong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=83916","title":{"rendered":"Government\u2019s approach is to raise political salaries \u2018progressively and with restraint\u2019: PM Wong"},"content":{"rendered":"


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SINGAPORE – The one-off adjustment to political pay addresses a gap that has built up over the years, but does so progressively and with restraint, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong<\/span><\/a> on Sept 10.<\/p>\n

At the parliamentary debate on changes to political salaries<\/span><\/a>, PM Wong noted that there was considerable common ground among MPs from both sides of the aisle and Nominated MPs that ministerial salaries should be competitive while reflecting the ethos of service.<\/p>\n

The Government\u2019s approach to raise ministerial salaries by up to 9 per cent in October<\/span><\/a> thus strikes the balance between keeping the salary framework relevant for the future without over-correcting for the present, he said.<\/p>\n

PM Wong noted that the 12 MPs and NMPs who spoke during the 4\u00bd-hour debate essentially affirmed the need for political service to be competitively remunerated, and that the differences were over how the framework should be calibrated and implemented.<\/p>\n

He said there were several ways the Government could have responded to the recommendations by the review committee formed in December 2025 to look at political salaries.<\/p>\n

A key recommendation by the committee was to update the benchmark salary of a minister at entry-level grade MR4 \u2013 which has been at $1.1 million since 2011 \u2013 to $1.8 million.<\/p>\n

One way would have been to move all serving office-holders to the new benchmark immediately, but that would not be right as they were at different salary points and grades, said PM Wong.<\/p>\n

But neither was it reasonable to leave their salaries unchanged indefinitely, he added, noting that the Government had held back from adjusting salaries in 2017 and had deferred the review in 2023.<\/p>\n

PM Wong noted that MPs had said it was not a good time to adjust political salaries, reflecting sentiments from workers and their constituents. \u201cI understand the concerns. But there is never going to be a politically convenient time to adjust political salaries,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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A third option was to ignore the formula and choose a lower benchmark. But that would mean arbitrarily changing the conclusion of an independent committee because the $1.8 million number was politically awkward, he said.<\/p>\n

Instead, the Government accepted the framework, but will move towards it gradually, with an MR4 minister expected to earn about $1.35 million by the end of this term of government.<\/p>\n

During the debate, WP chief Pritam Singh said his party supported the increase in allowances for MPs<\/span><\/a> in view of inflation, and agreed with the Prime Minister\u2019s decision not to increase ministers\u2019 salaries beyond 9 per cent.<\/p>\n