08/09/2026
Singapore has always taken political leadership seriously. And we need to keep renewing the team with capable people from different walks of life.
The benchmarks for political salaries have not changed for 15 years. An independent Review Committee has recommended updating them, and the Government has accepted these recommendations.
Even so, we will not move serving political officeholders immediately to the new benchmarks. They will receive a one-off adjustment of up to 9%. Thereafter, salaries will be adjusted in the usual way according to performance and responsibilities.
As PM, I carry ultimate responsibility for this decision. I have therefore decided that, for the next five years – assuming I remain PM – I will donate the full increase in my salary to good causes.
We will never choose someone for political leadership based on remuneration. We look first at character and competence, and whether they are prepared to answer the call to serve.
But remuneration still matters because political service involves real sacrifice. We ask capable Singaporeans to leave successful careers, accept uncertainty and intense public scrutiny, and give up precious time with their families. No salary adjustment can make up for these sacrifices, nor is it meant to. But neither should we make the financial hurdle unnecessarily high and make it harder for good people to serve.
Ultimately, this is not about the present team or any one political party. Whichever party forms the Government in future, Singapore will need a strong leadership team to serve our people and take our country forward.
So we must keep the path open for capable and public-spirited Singaporeans to step forward, lead and serve – and give future Prime Ministers the best possible chance of building a first-rate team for Singapore.
See the full transcript here: https://www.pmo.gov.sg/newsroom/pm-lawrence-wong-on-government-response-to-2026-review-of-salaries-for-political-appointment-holders-and-members-of-parliament/
