Tan Kin Lian - Perspectives Adequate salary for a government minister

What is an appropriate and adequate salary for a government minister in Singapore.

My opinion is that it should be half of the current salary, that is, $500,000 a year.

This salary should be adequate to attract honest and capable people to be interested to be a government minister. These people believe in public service and have modest expectations. It may not be attractive for the current ministers who probably joined for the high salary that is offered.

It may not be able to attract the top business leaders and professionals. However, we do not require these people to be government ministers. They can continue to earn the high salaries that is available in the private sector.

Will the ministers earning a modest salary be susceptible to corruption? Some may. But the highly paid ministers can also be susceptible to corruption.

Corruption is related to opportunity and lack of control. It is not due to low salaries and is not effectively warded off by paying high salaries.

The benchmark in many countries indicate that a salary of $500,000 for a government minister of a small country like Singapore is more than adequate.

Tan Kin Lian
 

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