Do higher salaries for senior politicians actually improve government quality, or do they create other problems?
Obviously quality in terms of governance encompasses a multitude of things. In the case of Singapore, higher pay has always protected against corruption.
Cultural nuances have to be factored in. In Asia and particularly Asian politicians, corruption was/is a huge problem so Lee Kuan wanted to address the issue at its root.
"Wong’s own pay package, meanwhile, will rise from S$2.2mn (US$1.7mn) to S$3.6mn (US$2.8mn) a year, including salary and bonuses. He said he would donate the increased pay to charity for the next five years, assuming he stays in office."
Good point. I’m more interested in whether Singapore’s high-pay model actually leads to better government.