Pricey celery in Singapore

Lee Hsien Loong currently earns an annual salary of S$3,870,000 (US$ 2,856,930 ), an increase of 25% from S$3,091,200 (US$2,037,168), making him the highest paid head of government in the world. In comparison, the President of the United States earns a salary of US$400,000. The new salary of S$3.8 million took effect in January 2008. Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said in parliament that the head of state of Singapore and his ministers deserve such a high income because Singapore is a small country that lacks a large pool of talented people.