Views on recent ministers' pay hike

I stumbled upon an article on the cover page of ST on the Wednesday issue. That article has caught my attention - "Govt defends ministers' pay formula". Misgivings over the robustness of the private-sector benchmark for ministers' pay have festered and the government hereby are trying to dispel them. Mr Teo Chee Hean respond to the charge was "We're are not benchmarking against specific individuals. What we're benchmarking against is the typical salary that persons holding these type of jobs and holding these types of responsibilities do earn." Well, personally I do agree for the pay rise in the minister's pay. Since they are the bunch of people that are holding the huge responsibilities taking care of the well-brings of Singaporeans as well as ensuring that the country do not lose out in the global shift market.

However, taking a step back, and looking the pay of neighbouring countries’ ministers, one would realise that their minister are earning a lot lesser than what S’pore ministers are earning. In that the case, where are there so much of a commotion in the political field in our neighbouring countries? Clearly, one would see that neighbouring ministers’ income not do not come from their pay alone. Corruption is rampant. Comparing with corrupt-free Singapore, ministers’ pay now would seen as acceptable.
But is it appropriate to compare ministers’ pay to those of the private sector? Well. Ministers are part on the civil servant, working for the government. Therefore, their pay all comes from the taxpayers money. Therefore, it would be necessary to give the taxpayers a reasonable reason to actually give them the pay rise. Just by comparing it with the private sectors might not convincing. Government has to be more transparent and give her people more information regarding this issue.