Singapore ‘must act now’ to raise political salaries, says PM Wong

[SINGAPORE] The government has shown restraint in adjusting political salaries, but “restraint cannot become neglect”, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday (Sep 8).

Since they were last revised in 2012, ministerial salaries have “fallen further behind” not just those of private sector counterparts but even some senior public servants’, he noted.

Following an independent review of Singapore’s political salary framework, PM Wong, who is also Minister for Finance, said he has decided that “we must act now” on raising salaries.

“We cannot affirm a framework in principle but disregard it indefinitely in practice. Otherwise, over time, the framework loses its meaning,” he said.

Political salaries have seen periodic reviews since the present pay structure was introduced in 2012 – but have been left unchanged, despite a call in 2017 for an upward revision.

That is even as pay cheques grew in the private sector, civil service and judiciary, PM Wong noted. “The gap is most obvious when compared with the private sector. But even in the public service, some senior permanent secretaries earn more than ministers.”

He observed that multiple administrations “have decided, at different points, to hold back” on adjusting ministerial salaries, for what he called good reasons.

But to leave political salaries untouched at this point, although a politically easier move, “would not be the right thing to do”, according to PM Wong.

The latest review committee was appointed in December 2025, with Council of Presidential Advisers member Gan Seow Kee as its chairman.

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Consideration of its recommendations – which were submitted in April – was previously deferred. Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing stated in May that more clarity was needed on the impact of conflict in the Middle East on the economic outlook.

The committee’s report is now being released and the government accepts its recommendations, although salaries will not go up in a single step, PM Wong announced.

He dubbed political salaries “a difficult and emotive issue” for Singaporeans, but added that “we cannot avoid this issue simply because it is politically difficult”.

“This is not just a matter of pay,” PM Wong said.

“It is ultimately about whether Singapore will continue to have the quality of political leadership we need to take our country forward and to serve Singaporeans well in the years ahead.”