Highest paid world leader to get salary increase of $1 million

Singapore's government is set to increase the annual salaries of its ministers and other high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, by $1 million. Wong, who currently earns $3.6 million per year, will see his pay package rise to $3.6 million from $2.2 million. He has pledged to donate this additional income to charity over the next five years.

The government claims the increase is necessary to attract top talent to public service. However, the move has drawn criticism in Singapore, where concerns about job security and the rising cost of living are significant. Wong acknowledged that ministers' salaries have drawn scrutiny due to their high levels compared to the median monthly income of $5,775.

He argued that while they cannot match what some individuals earn, they aim to make the financial hurdle less steep for capable citizens to consider political careers. The ministers' base pay package will increase to around $1.2 million, but Wong expects most of them to earn over $1.35 million by the end of the current government term, based on performance.

The controversy over ministerial salaries has been a contentious issue for the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) since Singapore's independence. The government has previously pointed to the lack of corruption in the country as evidence that the pay system deters bribery attempts. Despite this, many Singaporeans have expressed discontent with the announcement, seeing it as insensitive to current economic challenges.