Frustrated with growing criticisms over Lee Hsien Loong’s S$2.2 million-a-year salary, the propaganda information ministry hit out at Singaporeans sharing articles what it calls “falsehoods”. According to the Ministry of Communications and Information, PAP Ministers may not earn a million dollars in a year if the economy is not doing well:
“If the minister doesn’t do well – and if the economy doesn’t do well – he may get well below S$1.1 million.”
However, there is not a single year the Singapore ministers earn below a million dollar since 2007.
The little-known government propaganda website, FactuallySg, took a screenshot of Facebook page, The Alternative View, that had a post stating dictator Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong draws a S$4.5 million-a-year salary. Watermarking the photo as “FALSE” in typical Nazi style, the official propaganda then added a list of widely-shared information they decided were “falsehoods”.
Despite being a website to clarify online falsehoods, FactuallySg lied that the ruling party government has always been “upfront” on salaries, when there is no publicly-available information about ministerial salaries and bonuses each year.
FactuallySg failed to mention that a minister may earn more than S$1.1 million and deviously put a bracket stating “norm bonuses” under the yearly package. The government propaganda however confirmed that 13th month bonus is a guarantee for all ministers, which is not mandated into employment law for Singaporeans. FactuallySg also confirmed that the dictator Prime Minister decides everyone’s bonuses, including his own:
“The Prime Minister’s norm salary is set at two times that of an MR4 Minister. His $2.2 million annual salary includes bonuses. The Prime Minister does not receive a Performance Bonus as there is no one to assess his performance annually. He does receive the National Bonus.”
Editor’s note: The Alternative View Facebook page, had however indeed published a falsehood claiming that Lee Hsien Loong takes home S$4.5 million-a-year. Many anti-PAP groups have been trying to emulate States Times Review’s investigative reporting, by posting unconfirmed speculations to attract readership. STR however is not interested in readership, but in the unobstructed provision of truth to Singaporeans. Singaporeans are advised to fact check their news sources, whether from mainstream or online outlets, with States Times Review.