Four Pofma corrections over claims that Ho Ching's salary is around $100m
Claims made in some online posts that Temasek chief executive and executive director Ho Ching's annual salary is around $100 million are false, the Government has said.
They prompted Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat to instruct the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) office to issue four correction directions yesterday.
These were to The Online Citizen's Facebook page and website, The Temasek Review's Facebook page, HardwareZone user "darksiedluv" and opposition politician and lawyer Lim Tean for sharing the falsehood on his Facebook page.
They had made various claims that Madam Ho's annual salary is "NT$ 2.1 billion", "about 100 million SGD" or "S$99 million a year".
Temasek said on its website yesterday: "There has been chatter based on an Asian talk show commentary, which claims that Ho Ching's annual salary is around $100 million. This claim is false. Ho Ching's annual compensation is neither the highest within Temasek, nor is she amongst the top five highest paid executives in Temasek."
Madam Ho is Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's wife.
The statement from the Pofma office added: "The Government does not set the remuneration of staff in Temasek; this is the responsibility of its board and management."
Temasek's board committee, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee (LDCC), establishes guidelines and policies on performance measurement and compensation plans, it said.
"Remuneration of the executive directors of Temasek Holdings is approved by LDCC and endorsed by its board."
The Online Citizen said on Facebook it filed an application to Mr Heng to cancel the correction direction at 7pm yesterday.
"In the event that the Minister rejects the application, we will file an application to the High Court to contest the correction direction," it added.
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