Salaries of political office holders to be reviewed: Chan Chun Sing
A scheduled review in 2023 was deferred due to the uncertain external environment and the downside risks in the global economy at that time.
A view of Parliament House in Singapore. (File photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
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SINGAPORE: The salaries of political office holders will be reviewed soon, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing said on Monday (Jan 12), following the deferral of the last scheduled review.
Mr Chan, who is Coordinating Minister for Public Services, was responding to Mr Alex Yam's (PAP-Marsiling-Yew Tee) parliamentary question on whether the salaries of political office holders will be reviewed soon, since the last scheduled review in 2023 was deferred.
“The salary structure and benchmark have not been updated since they were introduced in 2012,” said Mr Chan in a written reply.
“It is therefore timely to undertake a review.”
He noted the current salary framework was established by a review committee in 2012, with the government agreeing with its recommendation that the framework would be reviewed by an independent committee every five years.
The framework covers the salaries of all political appointment holders, as well as MPs and NMPs.
The salary framework and political salaries have not been adjusted since they took effect in May 2011.
A subsequent committee formed in 2017 to review the 2012 framework concluded that it remained sound, and that political salaries should be adjusted annually in line with the movement of the benchmark salaries. Nevertheless, the government decided not to make any changes to political salaries then.
In 2023, the government decided to defer the scheduled review, given the uncertain external environment, and the downside risks in the global economy at that time.
Mr Chan said on Monday that the government has convened an independent committee, chaired by Mr Gan Seow Kee, chairman of Singapore LNG Corporation and alternate member of the Council of Presidential Advisers, to conduct this review.
“The committee has been asked to recommend the appropriate salary levels based on the current salary framework, and where necessary, to propose refinements so that the implementation of the framework will remain relevant and able to meet its intended purpose,” said Mr Chan.
“The committee has just been formed, and will submit its report to the government when ready, after which the government will consider its findings and provide an update to Parliament.”
