Singapore’s incoming PM unveils Cabinet

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s incoming prime minister Lawrence Wong has announced his Cabinet line-up on Monday, with Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong, to be appointed as deputy prime minister.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement said Wong has accepted President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s invitation to form the next government on Monday.

Wong, 51, who will be sworn in as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on Wednesday, will retain his role as Minister of Finance while Gan, 65, will continue as Minister for Trade and Industry.

Gan will be the acting prime minister in the absence of the premier.

He will replace Wong as chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and will assume responsibility for the Strategy Group within the PMO.

Meanwhile, as announced earlier, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be appointed Senior Minister in the new line-up and will remain as the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council chairman.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng

The ministry will also continue to oversee information policy and strategy, media development, and public communications efforts.

Prime Minister’s Office

Swee Keat and the rest of the ministers in Lee’s Cabinet will retain their office.

In the new line-up, two ministers of state – Low Yen Ling and Desmond Tan – will be promoted as Senior Minister of State while Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam is promoted as Minister of State.

Low will continue in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry while Tan continues in the PMO.

Rahayu will take up new appointment in the Ministry of Communications and Information, and will continue in the Ministry of Health.

The PMO said the new lineup will be sworn in on May 15 except Murali Pillai, who will be appointed and sworn in on July 1 as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Transport, while the senior parliamentary secretaries will be sworn in on May 24.

Earlier, Lee in a letter had formally informed the president of his intention to resign on May 15 and that his government will also resign on the same day.

Lee also formally advised the president to invite Wong who commands the confidence of the majority of the members of parliament to form the next government.

Meanwhile, the PMO statement also announced that the Ministry of Communications and Information will be renamed as Ministry of Digital Development and Information, effective July 8.

It said the new name reflects the ministry’s role in driving Singapore’s national digital agenda.

“The ministry will also continue to oversee information policy and strategy, media development, and public communications efforts,” it said.