Higher political salaries give 'better chance' of persuading capable Singaporeans to step forward: PM Wong — SkimNews
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- Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced adjustments to ministerial salaries in parliament on Sep 8, following an independent committee review, saying higher pay gives a "better chance" of persuading capable Singaporeans to enter politics.
- Wong disclosed he personally approached several senior permanent secretaries before the last General Election whom he considered potential ministerial material; none agreed to make the move, though he recruited younger officers Jeffrey Siow, David Neo and Jasmin Lau instead.
- Wong also approached multiple private-sector CEOs and senior business leaders earning several times a minister's salary; none cited pay as their reason for declining, but Wong said the opportunity cost is real and cannot be ignored.
- Ministerial pay norms have been frozen for 15 years, following a 2012 reduction and two deferred independent reviews (2017 and 2023), leaving some senior permanent secretaries now earning more than ministers and CEOs earning several million dollars annually.
- Cabinet's three most senior members — Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan — will all be 70 or above by the next term, and have personally pressed Wong to secure succession plans.
- Wong drew a 1970 precedent: then-PM Lee Kuan Yew raised political salaries to recruit Hon Sui Sen from the Development Bank of Singapore as finance minister, arguing Singapore must keep compensating public service at a market-relevant discount.
Why it matters: With three of Cabinet's most senior ministers set to hit 70+ before the next election cycle, Wong faces a narrow window to install successors — and his own failed recruitment of permanent secretaries and CEOs shows the talent pipeline has visibly narrowed after 15 years without salary adjustments.
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