{
  "id": 7183622,
  "title": "Commentary: Ministers can be paid more, but link their salary to performance",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/commentary-ministers-can-be-paid-more-but-link-their-salary-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-13T22:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/singapore-ministers-salary-increase-link-performance-6380591"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ministerial salaries in Singapore have been a contentious topic for over three decades, with the debate revisiting the issue after the ruling party found it challenging to attract capable individuals from the private sector and public service to enter politics. While previous pay increases have been incremental, the latest adjustments have been criticized for being cautious and not sufficiently addressing the talent shortage problem. Linking ministerial pay to performance, based on key economic and social indicators, has been suggested as a solution to better attract and retain qualified candidates.",
  "summary": "Linking pay to performance will become more important if the current difficulty with getting top people in the private and public sector continues, says veteran newspaper editor Han Fook Kwang.",
  "key_points": [
    "Ministerial salaries in Singapore have been a contentious topic for over three decades.",
    "Linking ministerial pay to performance suggested as a solution.",
    "Performance-based pay aims to attract and retain qualified candidates."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Singapore",
        "title": "Commentary: Ministers can be paid more, but link their salary to performance",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/commentary-ministers-can-be-paid-more-but-link-their-salary-to-7187470",
        "published": "2026-09-13T22:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}