Singapore ministers earn millions. What do other Asian leaders make?
Singapore's government defends its high ministerial salary structure as a necessary measure to attract top talent and prevent corruption. The policy, which pegs salaries to top private-sector earners, highlights a significant regional disparity in how Asian nations compensate political leadership.
Why it matters
It provides insight into the governance philosophy of one of Asia's most successful economies and sparks debate on the ethics of public service compensation.
Singapore’s ministers are among the world’s highest paid, a system its leaders have defended as necessary to attract capable people into public service and reduce the temptation of corruption.
Its latest salary review has once again put the spotlight on that approach, while highlighting a wider regional divide over how Asian governments value political leadership and public service.
Under the city state’s formula, the prime minister’s salary is pegged at twice the benchmark for an entry-level minister, which is based on the median annual income of the country’s top 1,000 Singaporean earners after applying a 40 per cent public-service discount.
When Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s annual pay benchmark rises to S$3.6 million (US$2.83 million) on October 15, it will be almost four times the basic annual salary of Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu.
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