Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Hard truths about ministerial wages

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Tan Choon Hong said...: I vaguely recall that over the years the government has advanced 3 reasons for high ministerial salaries:

1. High pay deters them from taking under the table.

2. Some ministers were earning high salaries in the private sector and they have to be adequately compensated for crossing over.

3. The ministers' duties are similar to running a large corporations, so pay has to be in line.

What puzzles me is whether the current batch of million-dollar ministers can actually command a similar or higher package if thrown onto the streets as a job seeker in the private sector. I am not talking about working for a GLC, but something like a CEO of say a division of an American, European or Japanese MNC with a budget similar to that of a Singapore ministry. Will those headhunters out there care to shed some light?; March 19, 2011 10:43 PM
yujuan said...: Many brilliant engineers do not want to work for the Govt or the GLCs, they say if they go abroad to seek work, employers do not want them.
Would the aging Ministers face a similar problem if thrown onto the streets, oterwise why they become Senior Ministers and refuse to leave the Govt and retire. Is it because they could not find work outside? After all they are considered over the hill due to their age. Who wants to engage an ex-Minister in their sixties, they are considered too old already.; March 20, 2011 11:27 PM

Saturday, March 19, 2011