What it says

SALARIES

Do ministers and administrative officers (AOs) get bonuses on top of the $1.2 million they receive a year?

Public Service Division: The annual salary figure of $1.2 million includes all components - monthly pay, mid- and year-end payments, allowances, performance bonuses and GDP bonus. There are no other payments.

Do ministers holding more than one portfolio receive additional salaries?

A minister receives one salary, even if he holds two or more portfolios.

Do ministers have key performance indicators or performance appraisals?

They are appraised by the Prime Minister. A large part of their pay is linked to individual performance and how the economy is doing.

Currently, a third of their package is performance-related.

What about the view that ministers enjoy a secure job, with none of the risks experienced by top earners in the private sector?

Ministers do not have guaranteed tenures. They face general elections every five years.

PERKS

What kinds of medical benefits do ministers and AOs receive?

Ministers are on the Medisave-cum-Subsidised Outpatient Scheme, like the majority of civil servants.

They do not receive any hospitalisation benefits.

Instead, ministers receive 1 per cent of salary (capped at $70 a month and at 17 months a year) paid into their Medisave. They can use this to buy health insurance plans.

For outpatient treatment, it is capped at $350 a year for each minister.

Ministers co-pay 15 per cent of medical expenses at restructured hospitals.

Where it is for his dependents, such as spouse and children up to 18 years, the minister co-pays 40 per cent.

But this is all subject to a cap of $350 per year. Any unused amount at the end of the year is put into the minister's Medisave account.

There are no extra benefits for them or their spouse or children. Their parents do not get medical benefits.

It is similar for AOs who joined after January 1994.

Do ministers and AOs enjoy additional perks?

Ministers do not receive any perks. The salary is everything there is. They pay their own COEs, ERP, maid levies and taxes.

The official car can be used for official purposes only, not for personal use.

It is the same for AOs.

For networking purposes, senior AOs take up golf memberships at corporate rates but they pay subscription and membership fees out of their own pocket.

PENSIONS

Do ministers and AOs receive pensions?

Only those who have served at least eight years as an office holder (for example, minister or minister of state) qualify for a pension.

Since 1994, the pensionable salary component at each grade has been frozen. All subsequent salary increases, whether in the form of monthly adjustments or increase in annual components, are non-pensionable.

The pensions for ministers are not calculated based on the total annual salary package each year.

Bonuses, allowances and other annual salary components are not included in the calculation of the minister's pension.

Only the pensionable portion of the minister's monthly salary is used and the actual pension also depends on the length of pensionable service.

Currently, only about half of the monthly salary of a minister is pensionable.

As for post-retirement medical benefits, all office-holders, including ministers who qualify for pensions, continue on the Medisave-cum-Subsidised Outpatient Scheme.

They do not get free medical after retirement.

For administrative officers to qualify for a pension, they must have served for at least 15 years. But they lose the pension once they resign from service.

As with ministers, only about half of AOs' monthly salaries are pensionable.

Also, MPs appointed after Jan 1, 1995 are no longer eligible for pensions.

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE

Some observers believe that under-performing AOs are allowed to remain in the service. Is this true?

The appraisal system is rigorous. There is an annual assessment on performance and potential by his boss, the permanent secretary.

Officers of the same seniority are then grouped, ranked and graded good, average or poor.

Non-performers are not given performance bonuses. And those who do not meet the retention requirement are asked to leave the Administrative Service.

Is it true that only scholars can join the Administrative Service (AS) and once admitted, they can stay on indefinitely?

The AS takes in officers at all levels, including those who do not come through the scholar route.

It also takes in mid-career entrants, whether from the private or public sectors.

Admission and retention criteria for the AS are much stricter than the civil service.

To remain, the officer must show the potential to become at least a Deputy Secretary or chief executive of a statutory board.

Those without this potential, even if they are good performers, will be asked to leave the AS. Some choose to resign while others continue to contribute in other parts of the public sector.

CIVIL SERVICE

The civil service is said to be an iron rice bowl where poor performers are tolerated. How true is this?

The Civil Service takes a tough stance on under-performers. Those who do not meet job expectations are counselled and given an opportunity to improve. If they fail to do so, they are asked to leave.

In recent years, an increasing number of government agencies have been recruiting staff on fixed term contracts. Only good officers are offered permanent positions subsequently.