Gaji PM Singapura RM5.31 juta

GAMBAR fail menunjukkan barisan Kabinet Singapura bergambar selepas mereka mengangkat sumpah pada 21 Mei tahun lalu.

SINGAPURA - Perdana Menteri Singapura, Lee Hsien Loong menerima saranan sebuah jawatankuasa yang dilantik oleh pemerintah bagi mengurangkan gajinya, para menteri Kabinet dan Presiden negara berkenaan.

Saranan tersebut melibatkan pemotongan sekurang-kurangnya satu pertiga gaji menteri-menterinya yang berjumlah jutaan dolar, menurut dokumen tangga gaji baharu semalam.

Walaupun pemotongan tersebut dibuat, menteri di Singapura kekal antara menteri yang menerima gaji termahal di dunia.

Pemotongan gaji itu pernah dijanjikan oleh Hsien Loong bagi meredakan kemarahan rakyat selepas pilihan raya umum 2011 berlangsung.

Hsien Loong sendiri akan menerima gaji berjumlah AS$1.69 juta (RM5.31 juta) setahun iaitu pengurangan sebanyak 36 peratus berbanding sebelumnya.

Jumlah tersebut bagaimanapun kekal menjadi gaji tertinggi dalam kalangan pemerintah sesebuah negara di dunia.

Sebagai perbandingan, Presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS), Barack Obama menerima gaji AS$400,000 (RM1.25 juta) setahun.

Obama merupakan Presiden yang mempunyai 312 juta penduduk dan merupakan negara paling kuat berdasarkan kekuatan ketenteraan dan ekonomi.

Gaji Presiden Singapura pula akan dipotong sehingga 51 peratus kepada Sg$1.54 juta (RM3.76 juta) setahun manakala menteri Kabinet yang baharu dilantik akan menerima separuh gaji Perdana Menteri.

LEE HSIEN LOONG

Gaji menteri pemerintah akan dikurangkan sebanyak 37 peratus setahun kepada SG$1.1 juta (RM2.68 juta).

Ketua Eksekutif Hong Kong, Donald Tsang menerima gaji AS$543,500 (RM1.7 juta), Perdana Menteri Jepun, Yoshihiko Noda sebanyak AS$513,000 (RM1.6 juta) dan Perdana Menteri Australia, Julia Gillard memperoleh gaji AS$379,000 (RM1.19 juta).

Gaji Presiden Perancis, Nicolas Sarkozy ialah AS$302,000 (RM949,185), Canselor Jerman, Angela Merkel mendapat gaji AS$296,000 (RM930,327) dan Perdana Menteri Britain, David Cameron yang memperoleh gaji AS$222,000 (RM697,745).

Gaji para pemimpin Singapura melonjak dalam tahun 1990-an apabila ia menjadikan purata gaji tertinggi sektor swasta di pulau itu sebagai tanda aras.

Langkah pemotongan gaji tersebut membayangkan tekanan yang dihadapi parti pemerintah Singapura, Parti Tindakan Rakyat (PAP).

PAP yang memerintah Singapura sejak negara itu berpisah daripada Malaysia pada tahun 1965 mencatat prestasi buruk pada pilihan raya 2011.

Undi yang diterima PAP semasa pilihan berkenaan berkurangan sebanyak 60 peratus sekali gus bilangan undi terendah yang pernah dicatat parti pemerintah itu.

- Agensi

First resort on The World Dubai to open

The World Dubai will see its first island open to the public this week with the launch of the luxury World Island Beach Club.

“We will be opening in the first week of January,” said Reza Sinnen, operations manager at the beach club, based on the island of Lebanon.

The resort was originally scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2011 but pushed back its launch following construction delays.

The exclusive resort, which could cost members up to $10,890 a year to join, hopes to capitalise on the Dubai development’s potential as a tourism destination.

Facilities include a 100-seat restaurant, cabanas, a lounge area and entertainment facilities, alongside a pontoon that can accommodate up to 80ft yachts.

The luxury resort will be the first attraction on The World to open to the public after Dubai’s property crash dealt a blow to the development.

Via Arabianbusiness

Roman Abramovich’s $5M New Year’s Bash

On Saturday night, Roman Abramovich opened his French Caribbean paradise, the 70-acre Gouverneur Bay Estate, to 400 guests for a New Year's Eve party.

The Russian oligarch’s guests were informed to dress “island chic.” and were treated to a show from Red Hot Chili Peppers, a buffet and a DJ.

This party cost a reported $5 million and attracted a host of big-names including Rupert Murdoch, George Lucas, Marc Jacobs, Martha Stewart, Mischa Barton, Harvey Weinstein, Georgina Chapman and Jimmy Buffett.

Platters of canapés greeted the guests when they arrived, catered by St Barts restaurateur Xavier Pinet and Michelin-star chef Thomas Chiarelli.

Dishes included Russian dumplings filled with island-caught Mahi Mahi and pancakes with a vodka and lemon zest sauce.

Locally caught langoustines, lobster and tuna were also served as sushi and Aquitaine caviar topped blinis canapés.

Chilled vodka and crates of Cristal Roederer and Ruinart champagne were on tap for the guests.

Many guests stayed on the Russian’s 536ft super-yacth Eclipse – the world’s largest private yacht with two helicopter pads, a submarine and two swimming pools.

Abramovich's New Year's Eve party last year featured a performance by the Black Eyed Peas and was attended by celebrities such as Demi Moore, Salma Hayek, David Geffen, and Ellen DeGeneres.

St Barts is a well-known celebrity magnet, and is part of the French West Indies, along with Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St Martin.

source : Luxuo.com