The Singapore government announced recently that it will cut the salaries of the president, prime minister and other senior government officials by between 11 percent and 19 percent next year due to the country’s weakened economy. Civil servants will also receive lower year-end bonuses at the end of 2008.

Lo Shu-lei, a KMT caucus whip, said Taiwan can learn from Singapore and urged the government to “consider the country’s overall situation.” “If the Cabinet agrees with Singapore’s approach, the KMT caucus will support salary cuts for civil servants,” Lo added.

KMT Legislator Chang Sho-wen echoed Lo’s words, saying that civil servants should show solidarity with the public at this difficult time by agreeing to have their salaries cut. “The salary cuts should be commensurate with the amount of complaints leveled at the government by the public,” Chang suggested.

KMT Lawmaker Lin Te-fu also agreed that senior civil servants should have their salaries cut at this time of severe economic downturn and suggested that the Executive Yuan target higher-ranking officials. Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, who concurred with the idea of salary cuts, said the economic downturn could last for some time and that he supports salary cuts so that all can “unite to weather the difficulties.” Wang said the president and vice president, as well as the heads of the five branches of the government, should all have their salaries cut.

He declined to speak for other government officials, but said that he “was prepared to accept a 20 percent cut.”