World's highest-paid Prime Minister gets salary hike of 9%; pledges to donate difference to charity - The Times of India

**World’s Highest‑Paid Prime Minister Gets Salary Hike of 9%; Pledges to Donate Difference to Charity**

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who already earns the world’s highest ministerial salary, will see his annual remuneration rise by 9 percent to S$3.2 million (approximately US$2.4 million) starting next fiscal year, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office cited by *The Times of India*. The increase, part of a routine review of public‑officer pay announced in March, adds roughly S$260,000 (about US$190,000) to the current package. In a simultaneous move, Mr Lee announced that the extra amount will be placed in a charitable trust that will fund education scholarships and social‑housing projects, a pledge he said reflects his “commitment to give back to the community.”

The donation plan has drawn mixed reactions. Supporters laud the gesture as a demonstration of public‑service ethos, noting that the prime minister will effectively retain his original salary while the surplus benefits vulnerable groups. Critics, however, argue that the hike underscores the widening gap between elected officials and ordinary Singaporeans, especially as the country grapples with a cost‑of‑living squeeze. Opposition lawmakers and civil‑society groups have called for greater transparency on how the charitable fund will be administered, and some have urged the government to reconsider the size of the raise altogether.

Singapore’s pay scale sits at the top of a global hierarchy of leader salaries. CNBC and the BBC have highlighted that the US President receives US$400,000 annually, the UK prime minister £164,000 (about US$210,000), and the German chancellor €350,000 (roughly US$380,000). NDTV and *theprint.in* reported that the 9 percent increase translates to roughly a US$1 million boost when expressed in purchasing‑power‑adjusted terms, a figure that outstrips the compensation of any other head of government. The move comes as several other cabinets, including Singapore’s own ministers, are also slated for proportional salary adjustments, sparking a broader debate about the balance between competitive remuneration for public officials and fiscal prudence.