K Shanmugam appears to remain the strongest Minister in the Cabinet, even after the highly anticipated Cabinet reshuffle was announced today.
The Law and Home Affairs Minister continues to hold down two important and powerful ministries even as the Cabinet reshuffle saw fourth-generation leaders taking larger roles in about two-thirds of the ministries.
In the run-up to the Cabinet reshuffle, netizens had pointed out that Shanmugam has been speaking up about many topics lately – from fake news to inequality and even the early childhood sector.
Others have tipped him to be the next Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore – a role that will be empty from next month onwards, with Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam relinquishing their posts as Deputy Prime Ministers.
Both Teo and Shanmugaratnam are expected to hold on to their appointments as Coordinating Minister for National Security and Coordinating Minister for Economic & Social Policies respectively, after they step down from as DPMs.
Besides Shanmugam, the following Ministers will be staying put in their respective ministries:
- Ng Eng Hen – Minister for Defence;
- Khaw Boon Wan – Minister for Transport, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure;
- Gan Kim Yong – Minister for Health;
- Heng Swee Keat – Minister for Finance;
- Vivian Balakrishnan – Minister for Foreign Affairs;
- Lawrence Wong – Minister for National Development, Second Minister for Finance;
- Desmond Lee – Minister for Social & Family Development, Second Minister for National Development;
- Grace Fu – Minister for Culture, Community & Youth; and
- Masagos Zulkifli – Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.
https://theindependent.sg.sg/highly-anticipated-cabinet-reshuffle-sees-3-new-ministers-in-charge-and-4g-leaders-leading-two-thirds-of-ministries/