SINGAPORE TO CUT SALARY OF CIVIL SERVANTS DUE TO WEAK ECONOMY

SINGAPORE, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- The Singapore government announced Monday
that it would cut the salary of the President, Prime Minister and other senior
government officials by 11 per cent to 19 per cent next year due to the
country's weakened economy.

The Singapore Public Service Division (PSD) said the pay cut was necessary
as close to 25 per cent of the annual salary components were linked to the
city-state's economic growth.

Others who would also be affected by the salary cut included ministers and
members of parliament, the PSD said in a statement.

It said there would be a 19 per cent fall in the annual salary of the
President to $3.14 million and the Prime Minister to $3.04 million next
year.

The ministers' salary would fall by 18 per cent to $1.57 million and the
salary of certain levels of senior grade officials, by 12 per cent to
$353,000.

The allowance for members of parliament will drop by 16 per cent to
$190,000, said the PSD, which is under the Prime Minister's Office.

It said the government would also defer the third phase of the salary
adjustments for administrative officers, and political, judicial and statutory
appointment holders which should be due in January.

The January salary adjustment is supposed to be the third of three salary
adjustments following two earlier rounds in April last year and January this
year.

However, the civil servants would still receive the 13th month payment or
annual wage supplement of one month, the PSD said.

Last year, Singapore introduced a mechanism that allows salaries of senior
civil servants to respond more rapidly to the performance of the economy.
-- BERNAMA