DPM Wong corresponds with President Tharman on Cabinet line-up

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has accepted the role of Prime Minister, and will stay on as finance minister as he takes on the mantle from May 15.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will stay on in the Cabinet as Senior Minister. He will also remain as Chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council.

Mr Gan Kim Yong will be promoted to Deputy Prime Minister while retaining his current role as Minister for Trade and Industry. He assumes the role alongside current DPM, Mr Heng Swee Keat.

This means Mr Gan will be acting Prime Minister in DPM Wong’s absence. He will also take over from DPM Wong as the Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and assume responsibility for the Strategy Group in the Prime Minister’s Office. 

The incoming Prime Minister laid out these changes in response to a letter from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on May 13 inviting him to form the next Government. In the exchange of letters, Mr Tharman noted that DPM Wong commanded the confidence of the majority of Members of Parliament.

“I have every confidence that as Prime Minister, you will lead Singapore with honour and ensure the continued stability and vitality of our nation,” wrote Mr Tharman. 

Singapore

Yew Tee residents gather to see Lawrence Wong sworn in as PM

May 15, 2024

Related Stories

‘We went through baptism of fire together’: Lawrence Wong on choosing Gan Kim Yong as DPM

Singapore leaders express condolences after death of Republic’s longest-serving Finance Minister

In his letter to Mr Tharman, DPM Wong listed the MPs who will become political office holders with effect from May 15, as well as several promotions. 

These are as follows:

• Ministers of State Low Yen Ling and Desmond Tan to be promoted to Senior Ministers of State.
• Ms Rahayu Mazam to be promoted to Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications and Information. She retains her portfolio in the Health Ministry, but relinquishes her appointment in the Ministry of Law. 
• Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai to be Minister of State for Law and Transport
• Jurong GRC MP Shawn Huang to become Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Finance

The Prime Minister’s Office said all appointment holders will be sworn in on May 15, except for  Mr Murali, who will be appointed and sworn in on July 1, as well as the Senior Parliamentary Secretaries who will be appointed on May 15 and sworn in on May 24.