// BBC WORLD NEWS — MONDO
Highest paid world leader to get salary increase of $1 million
Lawrence Wong said the pay raise was necessary to attract talent
Singapore's government says it will raise the annual salaries of its ministers and other office holders, including its prime minister who is the highest paid political leader in the world.
Lawrence Wong will see an increase of 1.4 million Singapore dollars ($1.1m; £818,000) in his annual pay package. He has said he will donate this pay increase to charity over the next five years.
Wong said that raising the pay of ministers was necessary to attract better talent. The government has previously argued that paying ministers high salaries deters corruption.
But the move has attracted criticism in Singapore where there is deep concern about job security and the rising cost of living.
Even before his pay raise kicks in, Wong is still by far the highest paid world leader.
He currently receives an annual salary of S$2.2m and will now see his pay go up by more than 60% to S$3.6m ($2.8m).
Next is Hong Kong chief executive John Lee, who earns about $719,000, followed by Switzerland's president Guy Parmelin with $606,000.
US president Donald Trump earns $400,000 a year, while British PM Andy Burnham takes in $230,000.
On Tuesday, Wong acknowledged that Singapore ministers' salaries have attracted scrutiny given that they were much more than what most citizens earn. The median monthly income in the country is S$5,775.