Current PM Lee Hsien Loong will become Senior Minister after Lawrence Wong takes over
After handing over his mantle to Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Lawrence Wong, current Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong will remain in the Cabinet as a Senior Minister (SM).
DPM Wong revealed this in a media doorstop today (16 April).
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
The upcoming PM also talked about changes to the Cabinet, which will happen soon and again after the General Election (GE).
Not much change to Cabinet for now
Besides sharing PM Lee’s next role, DPM Wong touched upon the Cabinet, which he said may have “marginal adjustments here and there”, reported The Straits Times (ST) on Tuesday (16 April).
But minor changes aside, he expects the Cabinet ministers to stay in their existing portfolios.
Pointing out that the Government has always worked on the “basis of continuity and progressive change”, DPM Wong said there has never been a time where all the older ministers stepped down at the same time.
“Instead, they continued to contribute in different ways, while making room for the younger ones to step up. I will adopt the same approach when I take over,” he said in ST.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), a reshuffle will be announced “a few days before the swearing-in ceremony” on 15 May.
Not much will differ as DPM Wong explained that he cannot bring in new people until after GE.
DPM Wong looking for new candidates for Cabinet
Any major changes to the Cabinet will likely only occur after GE, which must happen by November 2025.
DPM Wong is already on the search for candidates, particularly those whom he thinks are capable of holding political office.
CNA quoted him as saying:
I’m already in the midst of looking for new candidates, especially those with potential to hold political office. So depending on the outcome of the General Election, there will be an opportunity then to renew and strengthen the team with new members.
While he aims to build a team on the current foundation, DPM Wong also hopes to add new members who can contribute “fresh perspectives”.
He explained: “I also want change because we should re-examine and refresh our current approaches and be prepared to break new ground in order to adapt more effectively to a rapidly changing environment.”
Also read: PM Lee to step down on 15 May, will hand over the reins to DPM Lawrence Wong before polls
PM Lee to step down on 15 May, will hand over the reins to DPM Lawrence Wong before polls
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Featured image adapted from 8world News on Facebook and Lee Hsien Loong on Facebook.
