Wong and Chan to Set Out Government Response on Political Salaries

Singapore’s political salary framework will return to the centre of parliamentary attention when Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing deliver ministerial statements on September 8.

The statements will address the government’s response to an independent review of salaries for political appointment holders, members of Parliament and non-constituency MPs. Parliament is scheduled to debate the statements on September 10 under Standing Order 44.

Chan said in January that the independent committee had been convened to examine the framework. In May, he said the committee had completed its work, but the government had deferred consideration of its recommendations because of uncertainty linked to the conflict in the Middle East. He said the committee’s report and the government’s response would be released at an appropriate time.

The current framework took effect in May 2011 and has not been adjusted since. A 2012 review committee recommended that an independent committee review the framework every five years. A later committee formed in 2017 found the framework sound and recommended that political salaries be adjusted annually in line with benchmark salaries. The government nevertheless decided not to change them.

In 2023, the government deferred the scheduled review because of an uncertain external environment and downside risks to the global economy. The upcoming statements will set out its position on the latest review.