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Mar 10, 2011
Changes to President, Istana
expenditure
By Zakir Hussain
Parliament approved the allocation of an additional $1.25 million
to the Civil List, which specifies the salaries of the President,
his personal staff, and expenditure. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS
CHERN
PARLIAMENT on Thursday approved the allocation of an additional
$1.25 million to the Civil List, which specifies the salaries of
the President, his personal staff, and expenditure.
The amount set aside for the President's salary is $4,267,500, up from $3,376,800. The
entertainment allowance remains unchanged at $73,000. The amount
for staff salaries increases by $471,600 to $4,532,400.
Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said these increases were
to cater for an additional staff officer to support the work of the
Council of Presidential Advisers, a Butler Manager to meet the
increased demand for butler services at the Istana, and to meet
higher variable payments on account of strong economic
growth.
The President's salary rises in tandem with that of political,
judicial and civil service appointment holders. Meanwhile, the sum
for Istana expenses was cut by $25,300 to $2,068,300. The total sum
allocated for the Civil List is $11.6 million.
For the next financial year, Mr Tharman said this overall sum will
remain unchanged, but the allocation for the president's salary and
allowances will drop to $3,782,000 due to lower variable payments
anticipated.
An extra $610,000 will be set aside for the Presidential
Swearing-in Ceremony which is likely to be in late
August.
