SINGAPORE: Singapore’s political office holders will receive a salary increase of up to 9 per cent, taking the sum to about S$1.2 million annually for a minister in the lowest MR4 grade, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Tuesday (Sep 8).Speaking in parliament, Mr Wong, who is also finance minister, said the changes will kick in from Oct 15 this year, after the government accepted the recommendations by an independent review committee that was appointed in December last year.It is the first time since 2011 that ministerial salaries have been changed.Mr Wong was delivering the government’s response to the committee’s recommendations for the benchmark salary for a minister at the MR4 grade – the lowest of four tiers – to be raised from the current reference salary of S$1.1 million to S$1.8 million.The committee also recommended changes to other political salaries and to the allowances of members of parliament and other parliamentarians.Adjustments to the salaries of the president, parliamentary speaker and deputy speakers will also take effect from the same date, said Mr Wong.“We will not move immediately to the new salary benchmarks. Instead, we will make a one-off adjustment now of up to 9 per cent for political office holders,” said Mr Wong.“I say ‘up to’ because the same increase will not automatically apply to everyone. The adjustment for each officeholder will depend on individual circumstances, including performance and when his or her salary was last adjusted.”Mr Wong explained that for an MR4 minister earning the current reference salary of S$1.1 million, the full 9 per cent adjustment would bring the amount to about S$1.2 million.There would be no further special adjustments to close the gap to S$1.8 million thereafter, said Mr Wong.Instead, any subsequent changes will be based on individual performance and responsibilities, he said, adding that he expects most ministers who remain at MR4 to be at the lower end of the new salary range – about S$1.35 million – by the end of this term of government.Mr Wong said that those who excel and take on larger responsibilities may move higher within the range, or be promoted to a higher grade.“So the revised MR4 benchmark of S$1.8 million is not a target salary that every minister must eventually reach. Ministers can be paid above or below the benchmark, within the prescribed range,” he noted.