Singapore ministers earn millions. What do other Asian leaders make?
Por Vincent Tan — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Singapore This Week in Asia Politics Singapore ministers earn millions. What do other Asian leaders make?
Political pay structures elsewhere in Asia are shaped by factors including bureaucratic hierarchy, austerity and symbolic restraint
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Vincent Tan Published: 8:00am, 16 Sep 2026 Singapore ’s ministers are among the world’s highest paid, a system its leaders have defended as necessary to attract capable people into public service and reduce the temptation of corruption. Its latest salary review has once again put the spotlight on that approach, while highlighting a wider regional divide over how Asian governments value political leadership and public service.
Under the city state’s formula, the prime minister’s salary is pegged at twice the benchmark for an entry-level minister, which is based on the median annual income of the country’s top 1,000 Singaporean earners after applying a 40 per cent public-service discount.
When Prime Minister Lawrence Wong ’s annual pay benchmark rises to S$3.6 million (US$2.83 million) on October 15, it will be almost four times the basic annual salary of Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu. Select Voice Select Speed 0.8x 0.9x 1.0x 1.1x 1.2x 1.5x 1.75x 00:00 00:00 1x AI-generated voice
