Singapore has approved a major increase in ministers’ salaries, lifting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s annual package by more than 60%.
Singapore’s government is raising the salaries of ministers and other senior office holders, including Wong, the world’s highest-paid political leader.
Wong’s annual pay package will rise from about S$2.2 million to S$3.6 million. That represents an increase of S$1.4 million, or about $1.1 million. The prime minister said he would donate the additional income to charity over the next five years.
Wong defended the increase, arguing that competitive salaries are needed to attract capable people into politics. The government has also long maintained that high ministerial pay helps reduce incentives for corruption. However, the decision has drawn criticism in Singapore, where concerns about job security and the rising cost of living remain high.
Singapore’s median monthly income is S$5,775, highlighting the significant gap between ministers’ compensation and the earnings of ordinary workers. Wong said he has struggled to persuade some business leaders and senior civil servants to leave their careers for political office. While the government cannot match the salaries available in some private-sector roles, he said it should not make the financial sacrifice unnecessarily difficult.
“Overall, I believe this will give me and future prime ministers a better chance of persuading capable Singaporeans to step forward,” Wong said.
The new package will also increase the base pay for Singaporean ministers from about S$1.1 million to S$1.2 million. Wong expects many ministers to earn around S$1.35 million by the end of the current government term because part of their compensation is performance-based. Their pay can increase depending on national targets covering unemployment, income growth and gross domestic product growth.
Comparison with other world leaders
Wong remains well ahead of other political leaders in annual pay. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee earns about $719,000, while Switzerland’s President Guy Parmelin earns around $606,000. US President Donald Trump receives $400,000 annually, while British Prime Minister Andy Burnham earns about $230,000.
Singapore has also repeatedly pointed to its strong performance on global corruption rankings as evidence that its high-pay model works. Still, the latest increase has been met with renewed criticism.
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