Singapore PM Wong to donate full pay increase for next five years to charity
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has announced he will donate his entire salary increase to charity for the next five years. This decision follows a government review committee's proposal to raise the salaries of political office-holders, which Wong defends as being in the national interest.
Why it matters
The move is a strategic attempt to maintain public trust and demonstrate personal commitment while implementing controversial political pay hikes.
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (pic) will donate his full salary increase to good causes for the next five years to demonstrate his commitment to the idea that revised political salaries are in Singapore’s interests.
“The government will continue to pay me the salary provided for under the framework, which is how our system works. I will then donate the increase to suitable good causes,” PM Wong said in Parliament on Sept 8. This is assuming he remains PM.
He said this while announcing that the government has accepted the proposals by a review committee to increase the salaries of Singapore’s political appointment holders, including all ministers and the prime minister.
Specifically, the prime minister’s annual salary will go up from S$2.2 million (US$1.74 million) to S$3.6 million, including bonuses. This means he will be donating S$1.4 million each year.
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