SINGAPORE: The Singapore government has announced increases in the annual salaries of the prime minister, ministers and other senior officials.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is already the world’s highest-paid political leader, will receive an additional S$1.4 million (around US$1.1 million) under the new salary package.
Wong has announced that he will donate the entire increase in his salary to charitable causes for the next five years.
He said higher salaries for ministers were necessary to attract talented individuals to politics. The Singaporean government has long maintained that competitive salaries for political leaders can also help reduce the risk of corruption.
Before the latest increase, Wong was receiving approximately S$2.2 million annually. His salary will now rise to around S$3.6 million (approximately US$2.8 million).
In comparison, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee ranks second among the highest-paid political leaders, earning around US$719,000 annually.
He is followed by Swiss President Guy Parmelin, whose annual salary is approximately US$606,000. US President Donald Trump receives an annual salary of US$400,000, while UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham earns around US$230,000 a year.
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