Ng Chee Meng returns to Cabinet as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office
More than a year after being re-elected as an MP, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) chief Ng Chee Meng will be appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with effect from 27 July.
His return to the Cabinet after over six years was announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (22 July) as he reshuffled several political appointments.
Source: Ng Chee Meng on Facebook
Ng Chee Meng will strengthen Govt after return to Cabinet
In a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Wong said jobs and workforce transformation are among the Government’s highest priorities.
Thus, there is “important work” for both the Government and NTUC in helping workers navigate changes, he noted.
In asking Mr Ng to return to the Cabinet, he believed he would “strengthen” the Government team in tackling the challenges ahead.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office
‘Timely’ for Ng Chee Meng to return to Cabinet
Responding to a question from Channel NewsAsia (CNA), Mr Wong said it was “timely” for Mr Ng to return to the Government and Cabinet given the economic and workforce concerns faced by Singapore.
He noted that these issues had featured heavily in parliamentary debates, thus he thought that Mr Ng would make a “more impactful contribution” to tackle this national challenge, adding:
So I approached him, and he agreed to do so.
Ng Chee Meng had requested not to be in Cabinet after GE2025
Mr Ng was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office before he lost his parliamentary seat during the 2020 General Election (GE2020), when Sengkang GRC fell to the Workers’ Party (WP).
But he returned to Parliament in GE2025 after narrowly beating WP candidate Andre Low with 51.47% of the votes in Jalan Kayu SMC.
Source: Ng Chee Meng on Facebook
He was subsequently not included in PM Wong’s initial Cabinet line-up after GE2025, as he had requested not to be offered a position in Government.
However, Mr Wong said at the time that this was only a “temporary arrangement” and that he wanted the labour chief to be part of his Cabinet “before too long”.
On Wednesday, Mr Wong noted that Mr Ng had asked to focus on his responsibilities in NTUC and Jalan Kayu after GE2025.
In the last year, he has “worked hard” in Jalan Kayu and settled in there, he said.
Ng Chee Meng ‘humbled’ by invitation to join Cabinet
In a Facebook post after the announcement, Mr Ng said he was “humbled” by PM Wong’s invitation to serve in the Cabinet and accepted it with “a deep sense of responsibility”.
He said his commitments to Jalan Kayu and NTUC were unchanged, and he would serve Jalan Kayu residents as well as champion better wages, welfare and work prospects for Singapore workers in a world disrupted by artificial intelligence (AI).
He described his work in preparing workers for the future and supporting all those in transition as “purposeful”, and thanked the public for their trust, support and partnership.
Source: Ng Chee Meng on Facebook
Other Cabinet additions
Besides Mr Ng, Ms Jasmin Lau will also be added to the Cabinet as Acting Manpower Minister.
Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo will be promoted to ministers of their respective ministries.
Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Sim Ann will be promoted to Second Minister of both these ministries.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad was appointed Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs on 20 July, after the resignation of Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim. He will remain as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs but relinquish his appointment in the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, will be appointed Senior Minister on top of his existing portfolios.
Changes at MTI
After relinquishing his appointment as Manpower Minister, Dr Tan See Leng will take on the new role of Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry).
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who is currently Minister for Trade and Industry, will become Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade).
They will jointly helm the Ministry of Trade and Industry, which will be renamed the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI).
Other political appointments
Mr Wong also announced a slew of other appointments to political office-holders.
Mr Goh Pei Ming, currently Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development, will be promoted to Senior Minister of State in both ministries.
Mr Alvin Tan, currently Minister of State for National Development and Trade and Industry, will be appointed as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and relinquish his appointment at METI.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, currently Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Social and Family Development, will be appointed Minister of State for Home Affairs but relinquish his appointment at MSF.
Two backbenchers, Mr Foo Cexiang and Mr Shawn Loh, will be promoted to Minister of State.
Mr Foo’s portfolio will be the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, while Mr Loh’s portfolio will take in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health.
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Featured image adapted from Ng Chee Meng on Facebook and Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore on YouTube.
