SINGAPORE - The President, all Cabinet ministers and political office-holders will take a one-month pay cut in solidarity with Singaporeans coping with the coronavirus outbreak, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Friday (Feb 28).
Public officers manning the front line in Singapore's battle against the coronavirus outbreak will also get up to one extra month of special bonus, he added.
The front-line workers will include many healthcare officers in restructured hospitals and the Health Ministry, as well as some officers in other front-line agencies who have been directly involved in fighting the Covid-19 disease, he told Parliament.
"Our front-line workers, especially healthcare workers in the restructured hospitals, have shown outstanding courage and dedication. They are out there making daily sacrifices to fight this war against the unknown," said Mr Heng.
"While we cannot thank them enough, we can show our appreciation and support in a tangible way," he added in a speech rounding up three days of debate on this year's Budget.
President Halimah Yacob, as well as Singapore's political leaders, will also do their part to show solidarity with citizens affected by the outbreak, he said. Recent weeks have seen sectors from hospitality to tourism and retail sharply affected by the slowdown in arrivals.
All political office holders will take a one-month cut in their salary, while all MPs will take a one-month cut in their allowance.
Some senior public service officers will also take a half-month pay cut.
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
