The highly anticipated Cabinet reshuffle of Singapore ministers was announced this afternoon and sees several promotions being handed to the fourth-generation ruling party leaders. The shake-up involves all the ministries but one and the changes will go into effect next Tuesday, 1 May.
Three new Singapore ministers were appointed as three ministers with the collective experience of 66 years as top ministers step down.
The reshuffle involves the following Singapore ministers:
Lim Hng Kiang steps down as Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) – he will be replaced by Chan Chun Sing, who is relinquishing his post in the Prime Minister’s Office. Chan Chun Sing will also take over responsibility for the Public Service Division from Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, while he continues to be Deputy Chairman of People’s Association.
Lim Swee Say steps down as Minister for Manpower to be succeeded by Josephine Teo, who will also relinquish her post in the Prime Minister’s Office but will continue as Second Minister for Home Affairs.
Yaacob Ibrahim is also stepping down as Minister for Communications and Information. S Iswaran, who has been the Minister for Trade and Industry since 2015, will take over from Yaacob as MCI Minister but will retain a presence in the Ministry of Trade and Industry as Minister‐in‐charge of Trade Relations.
Yaacob will hand over the responsibility for Muslim Affairs to Masagos Zulkifli and the responsibility for Cyber Security to Janil Puthucheary.
Meanwhile, the deputy sec-gen of the labour movement Ng Chee Meng has been taken out of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Transport to serve as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. Ong Ye Kung’s load in the Ministry of Education will be doubled as he will serve as Minister of Education, relinquishing his appointment as Second Minister for Defence.
Indranee Rajah has been promoted to full Minister and will serve as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. Rajah will also serve as Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Education and will be temporarily be appointed Second Minister for Law until the end of June as a transitory measure. She will be one of three women Singapore ministers in the Cabinet, along with Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu and new Manpower Minister Josephine Teo.
Five new Senior Ministers of State
Heng Chee How, Chee Hong Tat, Janil Puthucheary, Sim Ann and Edwin Tong have been newly appointed as Senior Ministers of State.
Heng Chee How will be leaving his appointment in the Prime Minister’s Office while Chee Hong Tat will leave his appointments in the Ministry of Communications and Information and the Ministry of Health to join the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Education as Senior Minister of State.
Janil Puthucheary will join the Ministry of Transport as Senior Minister of State while continuing in MCI. He will give up his appointment at MOE.
Similarly, Sim Ann will relinquish her appointment in the Ministry of Trade and Industry but continue in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth as she takes on her new appointment as Senior Minister of State in MCI.
Edwin Tong has been appointed Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Health. He will take on his new roles from July.
Meanwhile, Koh Poh Koon will continue as Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Trade and Industry even as he relinquishes his appointment in the Ministry of National Development.
Sam Tan has been newly appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of Social and Family Development and will continue his appointment in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while relinquishing his appointments in the Prime Minister’s Office and MOM. Zaqy Mohamad has also been appointed as Minister of State and will serve in this capacity in the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Manpower.
Five new Senior Parliamentary Secretaries
Baey Yam Keng, Amrin Amin, Low Yen Ling, Sun Xueling and Tan Wu Meng have been appointed as new Senior Parliamentary Secretaries.
Baey will continue in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth while he takes on a new appointment in the Ministry of Transport while Amrin will continue serving in the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Low will continue in MOE but will relinquish her appointment in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Sun Xueling has been appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of National Development, while Tan Wu Meng will take on the role as Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will take over the responsibility of assisting the Prime Minister on National Research Foundation matters – a responsibility previously held by DPM Teo Chee Hean. No new Deputy Prime Ministers were announced.
Take a look at the Singapore ministers who will be retaining their appointments here:
https://theindependent.sg.sg/shanmugam-remains-the-strongest-minister-in-cabinet-reshuffle-holding-down-two-powerful-ministries/