The Singapore government has opted to defer the review of political office holders’ salaries, originally scheduled for 2023, citing the presence of “other pressing issues,” according to Channel NewsAsia.
Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, Chan Chun Sing, revealed this decision in parliament on Tuesday, highlighting the uncertainties in the global geopolitical landscape and economic concerns as the primary factors influencing this postponement.
Rationale for Deferral
Minister Chan Chun Sing addressed parliamentary questions from members, including Progress Singapore Party’s Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Hazel Poa and MP Alex Yam (PAP-Marsiling-Yew Tee).
In response, he explained that the decision to defer the salary review stemmed from the heightened uncertainty in the global geopolitical situation, notably conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, along with ongoing geopolitical contestation.
Economic challenges, marked by significant uncertainties and downside risks globally, also factored into the government’s choice to prioritize immediate concerns over the salary review.
Minister Chan emphasized that despite the deferral, the government remains committed to reviewing the political salaries framework and benchmark. He assured that this would occur “in due course” to ensure that these salaries remain relevant and reflective of current conditions.
Historical Context
The last review of political salaries took place in 2018, with recommendations announced by the committee overseeing the process.
According to Minister Chan, the committee proposed reviewing political salaries approximately every five years or when necessary.
The government, following the 2018 review, decided not to make any changes to the political salary structure, deeming it valid amid economic uncertainties in the preceding years.
Previous Review Committee
The last political salaries review committee was appointed in 2017. Minister Chan did not disclose specific details about the current review committee or its members, but reiterated the government’s commitment to adhering to the suggested review timeline.
Currently, the benchmark for an entry-level minister’s salary is based on the median income of the top 1,000 Singapore citizen earners.
A 40% “discount” is then applied to reflect the ethos of political service, as outlined by the Public Service Division’s website.
As of last year, the benchmark level of a minister’s salary is about $55,000 per month.