I guess many of quotes here are based on local (public - possibility the top 3) universities in Singapore. those private ones, especially SIM/ foreign students/grad, i think they should be prepared and expect for a discounted offer than those posted (unless stated otherwise by the poster on their background).

unless they are from the world top university like Harvard, MIT, Oxbridge, LSE, UCL and etc, maybe can match the local quotes.

the civil service pay structure is possibly pegged to academic branding and outcomes as explained by someone earlier on the risk-vs-reward model. this is how it is.