Singapore PM Lawrence Wong Gets 60% Pay Rise, Will Earn $3.6m Annually
- Singapore's government announced a major salary increase for its prime minister and cabinet ministers, citing the need to attract top talent into politics
- PM Lawrence Wong, already the world's highest-paid political leader, said he will donate his pay increase to charity over the next five years
- The announcement drew sharp criticism from Singaporeans amid rising living costs and the highest retrenchment levels in over five years
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Singapore's government has announced plans to raise the salaries of the prime minister and other office holders, pushing an already record-breaking pay package even higher despite public concern over job losses and the cost of living.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's annual pay will rise by more than 60%, climbing from S$2.2 million to S$3.6 million.
Source: Getty Images
The increase amounts to S$1.4 million (roughly $1.1 million or £818,000). Wong said he would donate the full value of his pay rise to charity over the following five years.
According to BBC, even before the increase takes effect, Wong was already the highest-paid political leader in the world. The next closest is Hong Kong's chief executive John Lee, who earns about $719,000 a year, followed by Switzerland's president Guy Parmelin at $606,000.
By comparison, US President Donald Trump earns $400,000 annually, while British Prime Minister Andy Burnham receives $230,000.
Wong's case for higher ministerial pay
Speaking on Tuesday, Wong acknowledged that ministerial salaries attract public scrutiny, given how far they exceed what most Singaporeans earn. The country's median monthly income stands at S$5,775. He argued, however, that he has struggled to persuade senior business leaders and top civil servants to enter politics, and that the gap between public sector pay and private sector earnings makes recruitment difficult.
"Overall, I believe this will give me and future prime ministers a better chance of persuading capable Singaporeans to step forward, and of building the strongest possible team for Singapore," Wong said.
Under the new pay structure, the base package for ministers will rise from about S$1.1 million to roughly S$1.2 million, with performance-linked components potentially pushing total pay to around S$1.35 million by the end of the current government term. Targets tied to unemployment, income growth, and GDP growth will influence how much ministers ultimately receive.
The government has long defended high ministerial salaries as a safeguard against corruption, pointing to Singapore's consistent near-top ranking on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index as evidence the approach works.
Criticism amid rising retrenchments
The announcement landed badly with many Singaporeans. Online, commenters described the move as "tone deaf," arguing that a pay rise for already well-compensated ministers was poorly timed given widespread anxiety about job security, difficulties facing fresh graduates, and rising inflation.
Government data showed that retrenchments in Singapore hit their highest level in more than five years during the most recent quarter. Some voices, however, backed the increase, saying the country needed "the best of the best" in leadership positions.
The issue of ministerial pay has long been a sensitive one for the ruling People's Action Party. At the 2011 general election, the PAP recorded its lowest vote share in decades, driven partly by voter anger over ministers' salaries and immigration policy. The government cut ministerial pay the following year.
Wong's predecessor, Lee Hsien Loong, made a similar pledge to donate his salary increase to charity for several years after a pay rise in 2007.
Singapore launches $70,000 child support package
Legit.ng earlier reported that Singapore's government has announced it will provide every Singaporean child with close to $70,000 in direct financial support from birth through age 17, in one of the country's most significant overhauls of family assistance in recent years.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled the SG Child Support Package during his National Day Rally speech on August 23, as reported by the Straits Times on August 23.
Source: Legit.ng
