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Salaries ‘not starting point’ when Govt looks for ministers: Goh Chok Tong

SINGAPORE – Salaries are not the starting point when the Government looks for ministers. Instead, it is a person’s character, motivation, commitment and selflessness that are “veto factors”, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

SINGAPORE – Salaries are not the starting point when the Government looks for ministers. Instead, it is a person’s character, motivation, commitment and selflessness that are “veto factors”, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

Other attributes include practical abilities, competence and demonstrated performance, said Mr Goh in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Aug 8).

Still, the former Prime Minister quipped: “Singaporeans know quality costs money — from durians to clothes to football players to military weapons.”

He was clarifying his recent comments about ministerial salaries made last week at a South-east Community Development Council panel discussion.

During the dialogue, a participant Mr Abdul Aziz, 70, had asked if million-dollar ministerial salaries could be cut by 10 per cent to support a pension fund for seniors who have to slog it out cleaning toilets or serving tables, for instance, to survive.

Responding, Mr Goh had said that cutting ministerial salaries was a “very populist” move.

“I am telling you the ministers are not paid enough, and down the road, we are going to get a problem with getting people to join the Government, because civil servants now earn more than ministers,” Mr Goh had explained.

He added that Singapore will end up with “very, very mediocre people”. “Think about that. Is it good for you or is it worse for us in the end?” he had asked at the dialogue.

In his Facebook post, Mr Goh – who made available a transcript of his comments at the session – clarified that he neither meant nor believed that Singaporeans, at whatever income level, were “mediocre”.

“Those who have worked with me know people matter the most to me,” he said. “That is what I am in politics for.”

In times of prolonged crisis and upheaval, Mr Goh said he had no doubt Singaporeans would step forward to serve and money “would not be a key vector”.

“In peace and prosperity, however, there are no dragons to slay. Personal aspirations, freedom, privacy and lifestyle take precedence.”

Mr Goh’s comments at the dialogue first surfaced in an audio recording published on alternative news portal MustShareNews and were later carried by socio-political website The Online Citizen. His remarks subsequently reignited a spirited debate on ministerial salaries – a perennial lightning-rod issue for the People’s Action Party Government.

During the dialogue, Mr Goh – who served as Prime Minister from 1990 to 2004 – had singled out lawyer-turned-Senior Minister of State (Law and Health) Edwin Tong, who was a partner at top law firm Allen & Gledhill until he joined the Government last month.

Mr Goh noted that the senior counsel, who had previously drawn a wage of more than S$2 million, had met him after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong asked Mr Tong to join the Government at a quarter of his salary. 

They are both Members of Parliament for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency.

Mr Tong had sought Mr Goh’s advice on what he should do, noting that at that stage, he had a house, parents-in-law and his own parents to support.

When asked what he was in politics for, Mr Tong told Mr Goh: “Here to serve”.

“So, I said you’ve got to serve, well, you know between S$2 million and perhaps half a million. (But) later on, you hopefully become a full minister, S$1 million, you have to decide which is more important,” Mr Goh said.

Mr Tong, who felt very strongly that he could do the job, took on the role.

Mr Goh, nevertheless, felt there was a “silver lining” behind the heated reactions to his comments at the dialogue. “It shows Singaporeans care deeply and hold leaders to account for their words and performance,” he said.

He also urged more Singaporeans to think deeply about how to ensure the country succeeds.

“I welcome diverse and dissenting views. I hope to engage them, perhaps through a forum in due course,” he said. “Singapore deserves the best.”

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