Singapore’s ministers will receive gradual pay increases following a 60 per cent jump in their baseline salary benchmarks, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has announced.The entry-level ministerial salary benchmark will rise to S$1.8 million (US$1.4 million) from S$1.1 million, while the prime minister’s pay benchmark will increase to S$3.6 million from S$2.2 million, in line with recommendations made by an independent committee.Wong said during a ministerial statement in parliament on Tuesday that he would donate the increase in his salary to “suitable good causes” but did not expect other political office holders to follow suit.“Political salaries are a difficult and emotive issue. The sums involved are more than what most citizens earn, so I understand why Singaporeans scrutinise them closely and why many feel strongly about the matter,” he said.Wong said as the prime minister he held “ultimate responsibility” for the salary framework. “So I want to be clear about how I will personally handle the increase and why I am taking these changes forward, because I believe they are in Singapore’s interests.”The review was conducted by an eight-member committee formed in January, after a deferment amid geopolitical uncertainty arising from the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The review, which is held once every five years, was initially set for 2023.