Singapore's Prime Minister Wong Announces Changes to His Cabinet

Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced changes to his Cabinet on Wednesday, July 22, as part of a leadership transition.

Prime Minister Wong said that having a balance of experienced leaders and new, younger leaders is important for Singapore's future. He believes that leadership renewal is an ongoing process.

Mr. K Shanmugam has been appointed as a senior minister, and Mr. Ng Chee Meng will join the Cabinet as a minister in the Prime Minister's Office. Ms. Jasmin Lau has been promoted to senior minister of state and will also serve as acting minister for manpower.

The changes will take effect on the following Monday.

Mr. Shanmugam will continue to be in charge of national security and home affairs. He will be the first senior minister to lead a ministry without having been deputy prime minister or prime minister before.

Prime Minister Wong said that Mr. Shanmugam and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong are the most experienced members of his team. They will provide guidance and mentorship to the younger leaders.

These changes come 14 months after the last Cabinet changes, which happened soon after the General Election last year.

Prime Minister Wong talked about the timing of the announcement and the recent resignations of Mr. Koh Poh Koon and Assoc Prof Faishal.

He said that he would have preferred for the resignations not to have happened, but he values the contributions of both men.

Prime Minister Wong said that Mr. Koh and Assoc Prof Faishal are important members of the team, but sometimes unexpected things happen, and you have to move forward with new plans.

Dr. Tan See Leng will no longer be the manpower minister and will become the minister for trade and industry. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong will continue to oversee trade and the economy.

Starting from October 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 will be promoted to full ministers.

Mr. Siow and Mr. Neo were appointed as acting ministers in Prime Minister Wong's first Cabinet last year after the People's Action Party won the General Election.

Prime Minister Wong has been working with the new office holders over the past year. He said that stepping into political office is not easy, but they have done well and are ready for more responsibilities.

He said that they have settled into their roles, earned the trust of their colleagues and the civil servants they work with, and are ready for greater challenges.

Mr. Siow will be the minister for transport and second minister for finance. Mr. Neo will be the 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 no longer be 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 join the government, appointed as 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 will keep his role as minister of state for national development but will no longer be in trade and industry.

Mr. Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim will be appointed minister of state in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He will remain minister of state for foreign affairs but will give up his social and family development portfolio.

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