SINGAPORE, Sept 8 — Singapore will raise political office holders’ salaries by up to 9 per cent from October 15, taking the annual pay for a minister at the lowest MR4 grade to about S$1.2 million (RM3.8 million).

CNA reported that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the changes in Parliament today after the government accepted recommendations from an independent review committee appointed in December last year.

“We will not move immediately to the new salary benchmarks,” Wong said, adding that the government would instead make a one‑off adjustment of up to 9 per cent for political office holders.

He said the increase “will not automatically apply to everyone” and that adjustments would depend on individual circumstances, including performance and when salaries were last changed.

Wong noted that the current MR4 reference salary of S$1.1 million would rise to about S$1.2 million with the full 9 per cent adjustment.

He said there would be no further special adjustments to close the gap to the committee’s recommended benchmark of S$1.8 million.

Wong explained that future changes would depend on performance and responsibilities rather than automatic movement toward the benchmark.

He said Singapore currently has four ministerial grades — MR4, MR3, MR2 and MR1 — each with a salary range that determines fixed pay.

Wong said he decides each minister’s grade, their position within the salary range and their annual performance bonus.

He said 10 of the 16 ministers are at MR4, while the remaining six hold higher grades due to seniority and heavier responsibilities.

He said coordinating ministers Chan Chun Sing, Ong Ye Kung and K Shanmugam oversee public services, social policies and national security respectively.

Wong said ministers may move within their salary range or be promoted to a higher grade based on performance.

He said variable components make up more than one‑third of annual remuneration, including a National Bonus tied to national outcomes and an individual performance bonus assessed by the prime minister.

He said the MR4 reference salary is an all‑in figure that includes fixed pay and assumed bonus levels, and that actual pay may vary depending on salary point and variable payouts.

Wong said the prime minister’s salary is set at twice the MR4 benchmark.

He said he will donate “the full increase in my salary arising from this adjustment” for the next five years, assuming he remains prime minister.

He said he will receive his salary under the framework and then donate the increase to “suitable good causes”.

Wong said he does not expect other office holders to do the same and does not believe in “making a public show of charitable giving”.

He said he carries the “ultimate responsibility” for the salary framework and wants Singaporeans to know his decision.

He said he will review the position again in five years and expects to continue supporting good causes.

Wong said the review committee recommended merging the MR2 and MR3 grades, reducing the number of tiers from four to three.

He said the salary range for each grade will widen to plus or minus 25 per cent.

He said the government agrees with these changes and will continue assessing ministers based on performance.

He said most MR4 ministers are expected to be at the lower end of the new salary range — about S$1.35 million — by the end of this term.

He said those who excel may move higher within the range or be promoted.

He said the revised MR4 benchmark of S$1.8 million is not a target salary and ministers may be paid above or below it within the prescribed range.

Wong said he consults supervising ministers when assessing ministers of state, parliamentary secretaries and mayors, but the final decision on grades, salary points and bonuses rests with him.

He said new office holders in the next term will enter at different points within the ranges based on experience and previous remuneration.

He said the wider spread in salaries will give future prime ministers more room to differentiate pay according to performance and attract experienced individuals from outside government.

He said political service still requires a “meaningful sacrifice” but the gap should not be larger than necessary.

He said the revised structure will help build “the strongest possible team for Singapore”.

CNA reported that Parliament will debate the government’s response to the review committee’s recommendations on Thursday.