Pritam Singh: Workers’ Party supports increase in MP allowances, but asks for clarity on Mayors’ functions

In Parliament on September 10, Workers' Party leader Pritam Singh advocated for the raise in MPs' salaries, which is the first increase since 2011, in response to inflation. Singh agreed with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's choice not to raise ministers' salaries beyond 9%, proposing instead that the MP's pay be based on a multiple of the senior public servant's salary combined with a lower variable component.

He expressed concern that high-earning private sector individuals might be deterred from entering politics not by the salary, but by the demanding nature of political service. Notably, the Workers' Party argued for clarifying the roles of Mayors, as the purpose and job scope of mayoral positions remain unclear to many citizens. In 2025, the WP called for the abolition of the Mayor's Office in its election manifesto.

Singh highlighted the lack of clarity surrounding the job scope and role of mayors in Singapore, noting that they are currently benchmarked against the median salary of the top 1,000 earners in Singapore. He asked if the government would consider delinking the payments for these roles from the MR4 benchmark, while ensuring they are still adequate for the duties to be carried out effectively.