Corrections and Clarifications
How much do Singapore’s Political Appointment Holders actually earn?
10 September 2026
65% of their pay is fixed, and the rest depends on how well Singapore and Singaporeans are doing.
You may have seen the figure ‘$1.8 million’ mentioned in news reports about the 2026 review of Singapore’s political salary framework (opens in new tab). Does this mean every Political Appointment Holder (PAH) will be paid $1.8 million a year?
Let’s look at the numbers.
Will all Ministers get $1.8 million?
No. The Government has accepted an independent committee’s recommendation to update the MR4 annual reference salary to $1.8 million based on updated benchmark data and applying a 40% discount. MR4 is the reference grade for the political salary framework.
This does not mean that every PAH on the MR4 grade is paid $1.8 million. The updated reference salary for an MR4 Minister sits at the mid-point of a wider salary range of +/- 25% from the reference salary. This means that a newly appointed Minister at the MR4 grade would typically start with his/her annual pay at the bottom of this range (i.e. ~$1.35 million) and see it increase over time within the range, depending on his/her performance and national outcomes achieved.
Put simply, $1.8 million is the reference salary for the pay range and not a standard salary that every PAH will receive.
Will current Ministers at MR4 grade get $1.8m?
No. Even as we update the MR4 reference benchmark, the Prime Minister has announced that all current PAHs will only receive a one-off adjustment of up to 9% from 15 October 2026, depending on individual circumstances, including performance.
For example, if an MR4 Minister is currently receiving the MR4 reference (midpoint) annual salary totalling $1.1 million, he may receive an increment of up to $100,000. If he receives the maximum 9% adjustment, his annual salary will be around $1.2 million. Any subsequent changes will depend on his performance and responsibilities.
Illustrative table on salaries of existing PAHs if they receive a maximum 9% increment
Today Existing PAHs at reference annual salary of grade (i.e., middle of each salary range) | After 15 Oct (assuming max 9% adjustment) Existing PAHs at reference annual salary of grade (i.e., middle of each salary range) | |
PM | $2,200,000 | $3,600,000* [PM will donate the increase of $1.4m for the next five years] |
DPM | $1,870,000 | $2,040,000 |
MR1 | $1,760,000 | $1,920,000 |
MR2 | $1,540,000 | $1,680,000 |
MR3 | $1,320,000 | $1,440,000 |
MR4 | $1,100,000 | $1,200,000 |
SMS | $935,000 | $1,020,000 |
MOS | $770,000 | $840,000 |
Mayor | $660,000 | $720,000 |
SPS | $572,000 | $620,000 |
Parl Sec | $418,000 | $460,000 |
*The Prime Minister’s salary is two times the updated MR4 reference benchmark of $1.8m.
#Rounded to nearest $10,000.
The Prime Minister said in Parliament that by the end of the current term of Government, he expects most Ministers who remain at MR4 to be around the lower end of the new range. Using the same example above, it means the MR4 Minister will see a gradual increase in salary from $1.2 million to about $1.35 million by 3-4 years’ time. Ministers who perform particularly well or take on larger responsibilities may move higher within the range or be promoted to a higher grade.
Read PM Wong’s full Ministerial Statement (opens in new tab).
Is $1.8 million guaranteed?
No. The MR4 reference annual salary is an all-in sum made up of both fixed and variable components. Of the annual sum, 65% is fixed consisting of the monthly salary and the 13th-month payment. The remaining 35% is variable comprising:
Annual Variable Component;
Individual Performance Bonus; and
National Bonus (opens in new tab) (based on 4 indicators tied to socio-economic outcomes and GDP).
For example, for a MR4 Minister at the reference salary of $1.8 million, the guaranteed portion of his annual salary is therefore lower at $1.17 million and the remainder depends on his performance and whether national bonus targets are met.
Read more about Singapore’s political salary framework (opens in new tab).
Is the Prime Minister’s salary increasing by about 64%? Or capped at 9%?
Under the political salary framework, the Prime Minister’s annual salary is set at double the MR4 reference salary.
Since the Prime Minister’s salary moves in tandem with the MR4 reference salary:
(With MR4 reference annual salary of $1.1 million) $1.1 million x 2 = $2.2 million
(With MR4 reference annual salary of $1.8 million) $1.8 million x 2 = $3.6 million
Applying the formula, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s salary will go up. However, for the next five years, he has said that he will donate the entire increase to charitable causes. So the amount he keeps will remain at $2.2 million a year.
Read PM Wong’s full Ministerial Statement (opens in new tab).