Singapore Ministers to Take One-Month Pay Cut on Virus

(Bloomberg) -- All political office holders in Singapore will take a one-month salary cut in light of the coronavirus outbreak, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said Friday.

President Halimah Yacob has pledged to take a similar one-month pay cut, Heng said in parliament.

To show appreciation to those on the front lines battling the virus, the government will award public officers a special bonus of as much as one month’s pay, Heng said. These public officers include health care staff with the Ministry of Health and some government-owned hospitals, as well as others in agencies directly involved in tackling the situation.

Landlords including CapitaLand Ltd. and Frasers Property Ltd. have promised to pass on to tenants the property-tax rebate offered as part of a S$5.6 billion ($4 billion) anti-virus stimulus package announced recently.

Other measures announced in parliament include:

• Lawmakers will take a one-month cut in their allowance
• Senior public-service officials will take a half-month pay cut
• Public-health preparedness clinics will receive a one-time grant for coronavirus

The government’s actions follow recent moves by some of Singapore’s top companies to freeze pay and cut bonuses as the country attempts to combat the impact of the virus. To date, 96 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Singapore.

--With assistance from Philip J. Heijmans.

To contact the reporter on this story: Melissa Cheok in Singapore at mcheok2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Niluksi Koswanage at nkoswanage@bloomberg.net, Michael S. Arnold

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.