How much does a Minister earn in his tenure as a politician – about $70 million or more?
I refer to the article ““Ministers are not paid enough!” – ESM Goh Chok Tong slams suggestion to fund elderly pension scheme by cutting ministerial pay” (The Independent, Aug 4).
It states that “According to an audio recording shared by a local online publication, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong appears to have slammed a suggestion to fund elderly pension by cutting million-dollar ministerial salaries.
The former prime minister of Singapore was apparently speaking to grassroots leaders and Government partners at an event on Thursday when he asserted that “ministers are not paid enough!” and that it is “very populist” to demand that ministerial pay be slashed instead.
ESM Goh had been responding to this question: “Can we have some sort of an elderly pensions fund? Perhaps, can I say, cut a bit on the defence? Or perhaps even from the ministers with million-dollar salaries?”
Sharing that he would have applauded the man who asked the question if he suggested that elderly pension could be funded by hiking the Goods and Services Tax (GST), ESM Goh allegedly responded:
“Somebody must pay for the pension and you got it right. We’ll have to take it from somewhere else. If you had suggested we up GST by 2 per cent, I would have applauded you. Seriously. Because you’re taxing the whole society to support the older ones. But you did not.
“But you said cut the defence. 1 per cent is enough. On top of that, you said cut ministers’ salaries. That’s very populist. I’m telling you the ministers are not paid enough. And down the road, we’re going to have a problem getting people to join the Government. Because civil servants now earn more than ministers. Are you aware of that?”
Are we referring to the fact that when ministerial salaries were last reduced in 2012 – the salaries of civil servants were not similarly reduced. For example, with the 36% pay cut, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was then still (and still is) the highest-paid political leader in the world with S$2.2 million a year (excluding bonuses).
For example, a starting junior Minister’s salary was reduced from $1.7 million to $1.1 million, whereas a permanent secretary’s starting salary remained unchanged at $1.7 million.
May I suggest that we put some numbers into this debate and discussion. How much remuneration in total (42 years) for example, has the Emeritus Senior Minister received since he became a politician, in 1976?
Another example, for illustrative purposes, is Minister Desmond Lee who was the youngest full cabinet Minister at the age of 40. Since he was first appointed in 2013 as the Minister of State for National Development and promoted to Senior Minister of State in 2015 – if he continues to be a Minister until age 66, like our current Prime Minister – does it mean that his total salaries for the 30 years (age 66 – 36) may be about $70 million or more?
How many people earn this sum in their lifetime?
As to ““And where do we get future office holders from? From the private sector? I tried for the last election. Two of them – one earning $5 million and one earning $10 million a month. To be minister for $1 million?
“So where do you want to get your ministers from? From people who warn only $500,000 a year? You’re going to end up with very mediocre people who can’t even earn a million dollars outside. Is it good for you or is it worse for us?”” – if someone who earns $5 or $10 million is not willing to serve his nation and his or her fellow Singaporeans just because $1 million is too low – perhaps these are not the type of Ministers that we want in the first place?
Leong Sze Hian
