According to Minister-in-Charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing, the next review of the pay of ministers and other political office holders is anticipated for this year.
He offered to provide further information about the review in due time in a written response to Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa's query in Parliament.
Considering that the last committee was established in 2017, Ms. Poa inquired as to whether a committee had been established to carry out the five-yearly review of political salaries.
The member of the Progress Singapore Party had also inquired about the committee's terms of scope and the timeline for its report.
In response, Mr. Chan noted that in 2012, a White Paper on Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government had advocated the creation of an independent committee every five years to review the compensation structure for those holding political appointments.
Following the committee's recommendations, which were presided over at the time by Gerard Ee, then-chairman of the National Kidney Foundation, the president's pay was reduced by 51% that year, while the prime minister's compensation was decreased by 36%.
Those who occupy other political positions, such as ministers and the Speaker of Parliament, also saw pay cuts in 2012.
The salary system was found to be "appropriate and sound" in 2018, according to Mr. Chan, who is also the Education Minister.
Among other things, the committee had suggested at the time that political wages be modified annually in accordance with changes in the annual benchmark in order to stay up with market trends.
However, given that the economy was still in transition, the Government decided against making any adjustments to political wages, according to Mr. Chan.
Teo Chee Hean, who was the deputy prime minister at the time, stated that the matter will be revisited in five years or whenever it was necessary.
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