Singapore will raise ministers’ and other office holders’ compensation after a 15-year gap, lifting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s annual package nearly 64% from S$2.2 million to S$3.6 million. The increase is worth about $1 million in U.S. dollar terms, and Wong has pledged to donate it to charity over five years. Other ministers will receive increases of up to 9%, while junior ministers’ salaries are set to rise gradually to S$1.8 million from S$1.1 million. Wong said the adjustment is needed to attract capable candidates as the gap between political and private-sector pay has widened. Singapore also presents the policy as a clean-wage model and a way to reduce incentives for corruption. The decision has drawn criticism because ministerial compensation far exceeds the S$5,775 median monthly income. Singapore ranked third in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, compared with 29th for the United States, while analysts questioned whether linking pay to the top 1,000 earners could distance politicians from the broader public.