Majority not concerned about ministerial pay: SM
by Ian De Cotta and Ong Dai Lin 04:46 AM May 03, 2011
SINGAPORE - Describing the issue of ministerial salaries as the Opposition's "favourite flogging horse", Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said yesterday that the "majority" of the population were not concerned about it.
Speaking after a walkabout in Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC), Mr Goh said: "All they want (to know) is: Have we produced jobs for them, can we look after their medical care, can their medical care be affordable, can we cope with the cost of living, can we deliver good housing at affordable prices?
"These are the issues that are of concern to them and these are the issues the Government is addressing."
Still, Mr Goh acknowledged that the issue - which has been "flogged over so many" General Elections - has cost the PAP "some votes".
"But, by and large, the people understand," said Mr Goh.
The Singapore Democratic Party has proposed benchmarking the ministerial salaries to the national median wage - instead of being pegged to the top six professions.
Noting that the formula used "depends on who you are targeting", Mr Goh said: "You go and examine the pay of the chairmen, CEOs of the public-listed companies in Singapore ... every CEO is earning twice the ministers' pay, even more. CapitaLand's (CEO) easily earns about S$10 million. Why should they come and join us in politics?"
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the PAP Government would have to explain its stand on ministerial salaries "again and again, during times when temperature is not so high".
Noting that the topic has been debated "many times over the years", Mr Lee said: "The last time we made changes was in 2007 and we had three days of parliamentary debate - full debate ... there was a full airing of the issues and explanations on why we think this is an honest, sound system which will enable Singapore to have the best team of not just ministers, but judges, civil servants, Singapore Armed Forces officers ... all the public sector."
The Prime Minister added: "None of those arguments get rehearsed in rallies. When it comes to rallies, you just throw big numbers down, and excite envy and disaffection. But I suppose that is the nature of election campaign."
Ultimately, Singaporeans should "look at the results" for the country, he said.
"It has delivered a Government which has overall served Singapore competently and well. And compared to other countries, we haven't done badly," said Mr Lee.
Foreign Minister George Yeo was also asked for his take on ministerial salaries. Speaking on the sidelines on a constituency event, he conceded that it was an "awkward question because I have a vested interest in this".
Still, he noted that the country's key advantage was its public administration - and the remuneration for this sector has to be competitive.
Said Mr Yeo: "If they are not, then the people whom they are regulating, managing or trying to attract to Singapore would be smarter and more able than they are - which means they would not be able to do things they have done."
He added: "The next question (is) whether the political service should be detached from the admin service? If we ... say, OK we pay the political service differently, there will be all kinds of problems."
