Full Breakdown
Singapore Raises Ministerial Salary Benchmarks, Prime Minister Pledges Full Increment Donation
9/8/2026, 12:56:26 PM
Salary Benchmark Increase Announced
On September 8, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will announce that the entry-grade MR4 ministerial salary benchmark will rise from S$1.1 million to S$1.8 million annually. The prime minister’s benchmark will move from S$2.2 million to S$3.6 million. The changes will become effective on October 15.
Details of the New Pay Structure
The review, an eight-member independent committee formed in January, was originally scheduled for 2023 but was deferred because of geopolitical uncertainty arising from the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Conducted once every five years, the committee recommends a one-off adjustment of up to 9 % for most office-holders, with the exact size of each increment tied to individual performance and responsibilities. An MR4 minister receiving the full 9 % would earn about S$1.2 million under the old reference, while the new benchmark sets the ceiling at S$1.8 million. Monthly allowances for MPs will rise to S$18,500 from S$13,750. The benchmark changes also apply to the President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Prime Minister. Salary ranges for each grade will be widened, and the higher MR2 and MR3 grades will be combined.
Prime Minister’s Donation Commitment
Wong said he will donate his full annual increment—estimated at roughly S$1.4 million—to “suitable good causes” for the next five years. He emphasized that other political office-holders are not expected to follow the same approach.
Rationale and Expected Impact
Wong framed the revision as a means to attract talent from the private sector, where salaries are substantially higher, and to give the prime minister greater flexibility to differentiate pay based on performance.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Any subsequent changes will be based on individual performance and responsibilities,” — PM Wong, prime minister
- “Over time, we should expect a wider spread in salaries than we have today – within the current framework, but a wider spread of salaries. And this is the purpose of the revised structure,” — PM Wong, prime minister
