Political salaries a difficult and emotive issue, but it cannot be avoided: PM Wong

Political salaries are a difficult and emotive issue, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong acknowledged in Parliament on Tuesday (Sept 8), as he announced that the Government has accepted an independent committee's recommendations after it reviewed the political salary framework.

"But we run an open system and believe in being transparent about ministerial salaries. We cannot avoid this issue simply because it is politically difficult," explained PM Wong as he sets out why the Government cannot defer the matter.

He stated that this concerns whether Singapore will continue to have the quality of the political leadership it needs to take the country forward and serve Singaporeans well in the years ahead.

However, while the Government accepts the committee's recommendations, it does not intend to move immediately to the proposed salary levels in one step, the prime minister said.

Good leadership matters

PM Wong noted that during the last debate in 2012, there was considerable convergence between MPs from both the People's Action Party and Workers' Party. 

This was especially in the principles that political salaries should be transparent with no hidden perks and privileges, and that they should be competitive enough to enable the Government to recruit people of the necessary calibre, while incorporating a substantial discount to reflect the ethos of public service. 

But the Government has refrained from making salary adjustments under the framework in the ensuing years in 2017, and again in 2023.

This, PM Wong noted, has resulted in salary norms for political office holders remaining unchanged for 15 years.

And in the same period, salaries elsewhere, such as in the private sector, civil service and judiciary have been updated.

"Ministerial salaries have therefore fallen further behind. 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."

More importantly, good government depends on good leadership, PM Wong highlighted.

He pointed to his experience as chief executive at the Energy Market Authority, when he was entrusted to build the LNG terminal.

As the authority searched for a suitable and experienced person, a candidate emerged, and he was eventually offered a competitive package, more than what he was earning then as EMA chief executive.

"And he proved his worth. He built up the LNG team from scratch, and delivered the LNG terminal safely — on time and within budget."

Explaining his decision to tackle the matter that has been deferred over more than a decade, PM Wong said that it would have been politically easier for him to leave things as they were, but that would not be the right thing to do.

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

"Restraint cannot become neglect. That’s why I have decided we must act now," the prime minister said.

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