PM Wong announces Cabinet changes, with experienced leaders in place as younger office holders step up
Mr K Shanmugam is appointed senior minister while labour chief Ng Chee Meng rejoins the Cabinet and Ms Jasmin Lau is named acting manpower minister.
Newly appointed Senior Minister K Shanmugam, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Ng Chee Meng and Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau. (Photos: CNA/Raj Nadarajan, Tan Wen Lin, Ili Mansor)
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SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (Jul 22) announced Cabinet changes as part of a leadership transition that strikes a balance between experience and youth.
“This balance matters because Singapore needs both experienced leaders to steer through immediate challenges, and a new generation ready to take us forward. Leadership renewal is therefore a continuous process,” Mr Wong said.
Mr K Shanmugam has been appointed senior minister, while labour chief Ng Chee Meng joins the Cabinet as minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. Ms Jasmin Lau has been promoted to senior minister of state and will serve concurrently as acting minister for manpower.
The changes take effect next Monday.
Mr Shanmugam will continue as coordinating minister for national security and minister for home affairs.
“He and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong are the two most experienced members of my team. They will continue to provide valuable counsel, and will help guide and mentor our younger office holders,” Mr Wong said.
The new line-up comes 14 months after the last round of Cabinet changes, which took place soon after the General Election last year.
Addressing the timing of the announcement, Mr Wong noted the recent “unexpected” resignations of Mr Koh Poh Koon and Assoc Prof Faishal.
“Obviously, ideally, I would have preferred for the resignations not to have happened,” he said, adding that he valued both men’s contributions.
“They are both very important members of the team. But these things are unexpected and when they happen, you have to move forward, you have to look at alternative plans, which is what I have made.”
OTHER APPOINTMENTS
Dr Tan See Leng will relinquish his appointment as manpower minister and be appointed minister for trade and industry, overseeing the energy and industry portfolio. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong will continue to oversee trade and the broader economic strategy, Mr Wong said.
From Oct 1, the Ministry of Trade and Industry will be renamed the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry.
Mr Jeffrey Siow, Mr David Neo and Ms Sim Ann – all currently senior ministers of state – will be promoted to full ministers.
Mr Siow and Mr Neo, both first-term MPs, were appointed acting ministers in Mr Wong’s first Cabinet in May last year after the People’s Action Party (PAP) won the General Election.
“Over the past year, I have worked closely with our newer office holders. Stepping into political office is never easy. There is no manual for the job and no substitute for experience,” Mr Wong said.
“But they have settled into their roles well, earned the confidence of their colleagues and of the civil servants they work with, and shown that they are ready for greater responsibilities.”
Mr Siow will be appointed minister for transport and second minister for finance. Mr Neo will be minister for culture, community and youth as well as second minister for education. Ms Sim will be second minister for foreign affairs and second minister for home affairs.
Ms Lau will be senior minister of state in the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, and will relinquish her appointment in the Ministry of Education.
First-term MP Goh Pei Ming will be promoted to senior minister of state, taking up appointments in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Family Development.
Backbenchers Shawn Loh and Foo Cexiang will also be brought into government, appointed minister of state for education and health, and for manpower and trade and industry respectively.
Mr Alvin Tan will be appointed minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He remains minister of state for national development and will relinquish his trade and industry appointment.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim will be appointed minister of state in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He remains minister of state for foreign affairs and will give up his social and family development portfolio.
Source: CNA/cy
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