Jan 16, 2012

of chen show mao speaks at ministerial salary debate

On Jan 16, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean moved a motion to ask the House to adopt the proposals set out by the Committee to Review Ministerial Salary.

Chen Show Mao speaks at Parliament during this Ministerial Salary Debate.

Parliament is the highest authority in our system of government, and MPs, as elected representatives of the people, should be the starting point for the determination of ministerial salary. The committee’s benchmark to the private sector clouds this fact. Worker’s Party recommends pegging ministerial salary as multiples of MP allowance. This expresses the fact that ministers are first and foremost elected as MPs to serve and represent the people.

So in what multiples should Singapore peg ministerial salary to MP allowance? We propose that an entry-grade minister’s monthly salary be 5 times the MP allowance, and 9 times for the Prime Minister....

In our proposal, MP allowance would be about $11,000 per month, Ministerial salary would range from $55,000 per month for entry-grade ministers to $99,000 per month for the Prime Minister.