Lawrence Wong: PM Lee to stay on as Senior Minister; new cabinet to be sworn in on May 15

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister-to-be Lawrence Wong clued Singaporeans in on the future role outgoing PM Lee Hsien Loong will be taking, saying that he has asked Mr Lee to continue serving in the cabinet as Senior Minister.

“I am glad that he has agreed.  Mr Lee has done much for Singapore, especially over the last 20 years of leading our country. I thank him for his selfless service and lasting contributions to our nation,” wrote Mr Wong in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Apr 16) one day after the Prime Minister’s Office announced that he would be sworn in on May 16.

Read also: Lawrence Wong to be sworn in as Prime Minister on May 15

In his post, he also said that the swearing-in ceremony would be for a new cabinet but added that there would be no major changes for now.

“The broad shape of the team is in place, and I hope to bring in more new members after the next election,” added Mr Wong. Singapore’s next General Election must be held by Nov 23, 2025.

“For the rest of this term, we have a full agenda: to tackle concerns around jobs and cost of living; provide greater assurance to families, seniors and vulnerable groups; and take concrete steps towards our shared aspirations as part of our #ForwardSG roadmap,” Mr Wong wrote, reiterating the invitation to all Singaporeans to join him “in this journey” and to “build our future together.”

Leadership Succession

PM Lee had said in 2012 that he hoped to hand over the leadership of Singapore by the time he turned 70 years old in 2022, though this was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had once been believed would succeed PM Lee, Mr Heng bowed out of contention in April 2021, stepping aside as leader of the People’s Action Party’s fourth-generation (4G) team.

Mr Heng, who was 59 when he stepped aside, said at the time, “When I also consider the ages at which our first three Prime Ministers took on the job, I would have too short a runway should I become the next prime minister then.”

Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, had been 36 when he stepped into the role. His successor, Mr Goh Chok Tong, had been 49. When Mr Lee Hsien Loong took over the reins in 2004, he had been 52.

Mr Wong, born on Dec 18, 1972, is 51. /TISG

Read also: Lawrence Wong says he’s honoured by ‘succession choice’ and sees himself as a ‘servant-leader’