Singapore’s high ministerial salaries under scrutiny in parliament this week

Singapore's high ministerial salaries are set to be scrutinized in parliament this week, with a focus on a topic of great sensitivity in the city-state. Top ministers are set to discuss their pay on Tuesday, with the prime minister's and a junior minister's salaries drawing considerable attention. Singapore offers the highest ministerial salaries globally, with the prime minister earning US$1.74 million and a junior minister taking home US$868,055 annually.

These figures, which haven't been updated since 2012, starkly contrast with the median income of Singaporean citizens, sitting at US$4,500 per month in 2025. The high salaries aim to attract top talent and deter corruption, with cases of graft by senior officials notably rare. The government's decision on ministerial pay will be based on a committee's recommendations, which were initially deferred due to economic uncertainty.