Gan Kim Yong promoted to DPM in Lawrence Wong’s Cabinet; minimal changes to line-up
By Wong Pei Ting, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 May 2024
Singapore’s next prime minister Lawrence Wong unveiled his Cabinet on May 13, with Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong to be appointed as deputy prime minister.
Deputy Prime Minister Wong, 51, who will be sworn in as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15, will continue as Finance Minister, a role he has taken on since May 2021.
Outgoing PM Lee Hsien Loong had remained finance minister for three years after he became prime minister in 2004.
At a press conference, DPM Wong – flanked by Mr Gan and DPM Heng Swee Keat – said he sought to balance the need for continuity and renewal in assembling his Cabinet.
DPM Wong said of Mr Gan, who co-chaired the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 alongside him: “Through the course of working together, we’ve come to get to know each other’s working styles better, and in this period of increased geopolitical tensions, his experience in international economics will also help us navigate a more contested global environment.”
Mr Gan, 65, said he was grateful and humbled to be given the opportunity to step up, although he is “not quite” part of the People’s Action Party fourth-generation team.
Mr Gan will continue as Minister for Trade and Industry, a position he has filled since May 2021. At the press conference, he also said he would continue to focus on economic issues in this role.
Mr Heng, 63, will remain as Deputy Prime Minister, but Mr Gan will be the acting PM in the PM’s absence, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a separate statement. Mr Gan will also assume responsibility for the Strategy Group within the PMO, which coordinates policies and plans across the Government.
DPM Wong said Mr Heng and Mr Gan are experienced ministers and will provide a steady hand in this initial period of transition. “I will be able to tap their views and expertise as I take on my new responsibility, and they will also help me to mentor our younger office-holder colleagues,” he said.
If his government is re-elected, DPM Wong said he plans to rotate the younger 4G ministers in different portfolios and give them wider exposure and experience. “Amongst them, I’m sure some will be able to step up and take over from their senior colleagues in due course,” he said.
Nevertheless, DPM Wong said more “fresh blood” is needed as some of the older ministers are likely to retire either at the end of this term or shortly after.
Pointing out that he is actively looking for new candidates with the potential to be office-holders at the moment, he said he aims to further renew and strengthen the team with new members, especially men and women in their 30s and 40s.
“There is no higher priority for me and that is to form the best possible team to serve Singapore and Singaporeans,” he added. He said that there will be a few among the junior office-holders who will be able to take on larger responsibilities as well.
The PMO also announced that Mr Gan will replace DPM Wong as chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
The new line-up – announced after DPM Wong accepted President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s invitation to form the next government – also provided confirmation that PM Lee, 72, will stay on in the Cabinet as senior minister. PM Lee will also remain chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council.
Meanwhile, two ministers of state – Ms Low Yen Ling, 49, and Mr Desmond Tan, 54 – are to be promoted to senior ministers of state. They will serve in the new role in their existing portfolios, under the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth for Ms Low, and under the PMO for Mr Tan.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam, 43, will be promoted to minister of state. With the promotion, she will relinquish her appointment in the Ministry of Law, but continue to serve in the Health Ministry as she takes up a new appointment in the Ministry of Communications and Information.
Meanwhile, two backbenchers have been brought in to strengthen the team. They are Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai, 56, and Jurong GRC MP Shawn Huang, 41, who served as a fighter pilot before entering politics and is director for enterprise development at Temasek.
Mr Huang will be appointed senior parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance, while Mr Murali, who is a lawyer, will step into a larger role as minister of state in the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Transport.
The appointment holders will be sworn in on May 15, with the exception of Mr Murali, who will be appointed and sworn in on July 1, and the senior parliamentary secretaries, who will be sworn in on May 24.
Earlier in the day, Mr Tharman exchanged letters with both PM Lee and DPM Wong, in which the President thanked the outgoing PM for his “selfless service” in government, and said he has “every confidence” that the incoming PM will lead Singapore with honour.
In a Facebook post that followed, President Tharman said he saw first-hand PM Lee’s sense of duty to Singapore and his ability to inspire over the years he had spent working with him as a Cabinet minister before he resigned in 2023 to stand for the presidency.
The President also said he had watched DPM Wong “grow as a leader”, having known him for over two decades. “I have the highest regard for him,” he said. “He will in my view make an excellent PM for Singapore in the changing times to come.”
‘We went through baptism of fire together’: Lawrence Wong on choosing Gan Kim Yong as Deputy Prime Minister
By Kok Yufeng, The Straits Times, 14 May 2024
One was a relationship galvanised during the Covid-19 pandemic, the other was forged through a close working relationship over many years in government.
Appointing Mr Gan Kim Yong and Mr Heng Swee Keat as his two deputy prime ministers in his first Cabinet, Singapore’s next prime minister, Mr Lawrence Wong, described his chosen lieutenants as steady hands whose advice and counsel he valued.
“I’ve known both Kim Yong and Swee Keat for many years,” said Deputy Prime Minister Wong, 51, at a press conference on May 13.
“For me, during this initial period of transition, it will be useful to have two more experienced ministers as my deputies.”
It was Mr Gan – who retains his position as minister for trade and industry – who picked Mr Wong as co-chair of the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19, to direct the whole-of-government response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Mr Wong said Mr Gan, 65, was a pillar of strength throughout, and they got to know each other’s working styles better. “We went through the Covid baptism of fire together.”
Mr Gan’s experience in international economics will also help Singapore navigate a more contested global environment, Mr Wong added.
As for Mr Heng, 63, who is already deputy prime minister, Mr Wong said they entered politics together in 2011 and worked closely while at the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance. They also worked on national exercises such the Our Singapore Conversation initiative in 2012, which Mr Heng led.
Mr Gan said he first started working with Mr Wong as MPs in neighbouring wards.
“He’s in Marsiling-Yew Tee and I’m in Chua Chu Kang GRC. We are adjacent to one another. We did many things together, many local projects together, to benefit our residents.”
As Cabinet colleagues and co-chairs of the Covid-19 task force, Mr Gan recognised Mr Wong’s strong leadership, particularly in the midst of crisis, he said.
Mr Heng said he particularly appreciated Mr Wong’s support during the pandemic, especially in 2020, when the Finance Ministry rolled out five government budgets in a year.
Mr Heng added that he and Mr Gan also had a close working relationship when Mr Gan was health minister and he was finance minister, noting how they rolled out the $9 billion Pioneer Generation package and the subsequent $8 billion Merdeka Generation package together.
“I’m very happy that Lawrence has appointed Kim Yong as the other deputy prime minister,” Mr Heng said.
He said he was also delighted that Mr Wong had been selected to succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Mr Heng, who stepped aside as leader of the People’s Action Party’s fourth-generation team in 2021, added: “I think it’s very important for us to have (a smooth) transition... If you look around the world, this is not common.”
Beyond the economy, Mr Heng noted that Mr Wong, Mr Gan and himself have also worked closely on tackling social issues.
“There’s a lot of work that we will need to do, and both Kim Yong and I will give our support to our incoming Prime Minister Lawrence to bring Singapore together to work on these various critical issues facing the country,” he said.
With the latest Cabinet changes, Mr Heng will no longer be coordinating minister for economic policies. There will also be no coordinating minister for social policies, a role previously held by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who resigned in July 2023 to run for head of state.
Neither will there be a coordinating minister for infrastructure. Introduced in 2015, the only person to hold that post was Mr Khaw Boon Wan, who retired from politics in 2020.
Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean will continue in his role as coordinating minister for national security in the new Cabinet.
Asked about this, Mr Wong said Mr Teo’s role is a “standing arrangement” and the national security portfolio is a critical, heavy responsibility.
“We have these standing mechanisms and processes where agencies do come together to coordinate and make sure we operate effectively. And there, you need a coordinating minister to oversee these standing processes.”
However, when it comes to the economy, infrastructure and social policies, Mr Wong said these areas are becoming more intertwined.
“Whenever you deal with economic issues, you have to think about infrastructure. You also have to think about social impact,” he pointed out.
Coordinating mechanisms within the Government have also improved considerably, hence there is no need for a coordinating minister in these three areas for now, Mr Wong said.
“Of course, down the road, circumstances may change, new needs may evolve, and we will consider those in due course accordingly,” he added.
“But for now, between myself and the two DPMs, we will effectively coordinate our policies... and work very closely with the relevant ministers as a team.”
MPs Murali Pillai, Shawn Huang promoted to political office
By Chin Soo Fang, Senior Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 May 2024
Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai, 56, will be appointed minister of state for law and transport from July 1.
He is one of two backbench MPs who will become political office-holders in the new Cabinet line-up announced by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at a press conference at the Istana on May 13.
Jurong GRC MP Shawn Huang, 41, will be promoted to senior parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance.
The other promotions in the new line-up include Ms Low Yen Ling, who will be promoted from Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Trade and Industry, to senior minister of state for the same portfolios.
She will also continue as Mayor of South West District.
Minister of State Desmond Tan will move up a rung to senior minister of state. He will remain in the Prime Minister’s Office, as well as the National Trades Union Congress, where he is now deputy secretary-general.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam will be promoted to minister of state and take up a new appointment in the Ministry of Communications and Information, which will be renamed as the Ministry of Digital Development and Information from July 8. She will continue in the Ministry of Health, but relinquish her portfolio in the Law Ministry.
The new Cabinet will be sworn in together with DPM Wong, 51, when he becomes Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15. The senior parliamentary secretaries will be sworn in on May 24, and Mr Murali on July 1.
Mr Murali, a senior counsel and partner with law firm Rajah & Tann, told The Straits Times he is honoured to be invited to serve in the Government.
“After almost 30 years in private practice as a lawyer, I am coming in with some trepidation. I am sure there will be a steep learning curve,” he said, adding that he will work hard to support the Cabinet.
The second-term MP, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law, said he will assume his new appointment only on July 1 as he needs more time to deal with his ongoing court cases and other client obligations.
Mr Huang, a director at Temasek International and former F-16 fighter pilot with the Republic of Singapore Air Force, was elected in the 2020 General Election.
“I am deeply humbled and honoured to be considered, and will serve the best I can for Singapore and Singaporeans,” he said.
Asked at the press conference if he has a number in mind of potential office-holders he wants to bring in at the next general election to strengthen the team, DPM Wong replied: “It’s not so much a specific number. Clearly, I need as many as I can get.”
In every new slate of candidates that the People’s Action Party fields at each general election, there will be some with potential who are immediately appointed office-holders, he noted.
Backbench MPs who do well over a period of time will also be brought in, he said, citing the promotions of Mr Murali and Mr Huang in this round.
The new Cabinet will have nine senior ministers of state. Asked why he is not promoting any senior ministers of state, some of whom have served in the post for some time, DPM Wong said he has not had the chance to interact with them in the capacity of prime minister and assess their full range of work.
He said it is better for him to assess them in his new capacity over a period of time, rather than rush into making appointments now.
On promoting Ms Low, Mr Tan and Ms Rahayu, DPM Wong said ministers are asked every year to assess the junior office-holders whom they work with, and the prime minister will eventually decide whether to promote any of them.
He added that he and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had discussed and decided on the promotions for this round.
Whenever any office-holders are promoted, it means that they have done well in their present roles and can contribute more in a higher capacity, DPM Wong said.
“A promotion today doesn’t mean an automatic promotion in future,” he said, noting that this will depend on how they perform in their roles and the impact they have.
He added: “For all of us, it is really about synergising the combined efforts of every individual so that the outcome for the team is better than the sum of the individual parts.”
Engaging the public
DPM Wong also said he will hold more press conferences in future.
“I intend to do more to engage you, the media, and through you, the public at large. I will also engage with the public directly, including different segments of society,” he said, adding that he hopes to share his thinking on key concerns and issues that are on Singaporeans’ minds through these engagements.
“I also would like to listen, get feedback and views, and get inputs as to how we can best shape new policies and programmes together. So, I look forward to involving all Singaporeans so that we can take Singapore forward together.”
President Tharman thanks Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for decades of selfless service, steering Singapore through crises
By Kok Yufeng, The Straits Times, 14 May 2024
From the 2008 global financial crisis to the Covid-19 pandemic, outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s 20-year term as head of government was marked by world-shaking crises.
The 72-year-old’s leadership gave Singaporeans the confidence to see through each of them while staying united, and he steered the nation to emerge not just intact, but also stronger and more resilient, said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in a letter to PM Lee on May 13.
Responding to a letter from PM Lee stating that he intended to resign as prime minister on May 15, and that his government would resign on the same day, Mr Tharman noted Mr Lawrence Wong’s intention to appoint PM Lee as senior minister.
The President wrote: “Your experience and advice will, I am sure, benefit the new leadership team as they chart the new phase of our history and make an even better Singapore.”
Mr Tharman intends to appoint Mr Wong as the next prime minister on May 15, and will invite him to form the next government.
“In my judgment, concurring with your advice, Mr Lawrence Wong is the Member of Parliament who commands the confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament,” Mr Tharman added.
Under Article 25 of the Constitution, the prime minister of Singapore is appointed by the president. Acting on advice of the prime minister, the president also appoints other ministers from among the MPs.
In his letter to the President, PM Lee said he had originally planned to hand over his position to a successor by the time he reached 70, which was in 2022. But the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted this timetable.
On April 14, 2022, MPs from the ruling People’s Action Party met and unanimously endorsed Mr Wong as the person to succeed him.
“Now, two years on, he is ready to lead Singapore,” PM Lee said.
Mr Tharman thanked PM Lee for his four decades of selfless service in government, including 20 years as PM.
He noted how PM Lee had advanced a vibrant and more diversified economy, opened new pathways of opportunity for Singaporeans, and strengthened social safety nets.
The President also said Singapore’s living environment had transformed under PM Lee, setting the country on a path towards climate sustainability.
“You have earned Singapore a unique standing in the world, with a voice of reason and a principled commitment to the international rule of law and the global good,” Mr Tharman wrote.
He added: “Your approach to governance has always been to accept differences, find ways to bridge them, and strengthen the common ground. Today, Singapore stands as an open yet cohesive society, even as global trends have moved otherwise.”
In addition, Mr Tharman noted how PM Lee had spent years mentoring the next generation of leaders, and ensured a smooth and orderly transition of political leadership.
He said: “Your sense of duty and integrity, wisdom and compassion have set a high standard, and will inspire those who follow.”
DPM Lawrence Wong exchanges letters with President Tharman on the line-up for his Cabinet
By Anjali Raguraman, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 May 2024
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, 51, 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, 72, 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, 65, 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, who is 63.
This means Mr Gan will be acting prime minister in Mr Wong’s absence. He will also take over from DPM Wong as 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, President Tharman, 67, 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,” he wrote.
In a separate Facebook post, President Tharman said he had met PM Lee first regarding the leadership handover, and DPM Wong after, at the Istana on May 13.
He thanked PM Lee for 20 years of leadership on behalf of the people of Singapore, praising his stewardship through both normal times and times of crisis.
He noted that he has known DPM Wong for over two decades and watched him grow as a leader.
“I have the highest regard for him,” said the President. “He will in my view make an excellent PM for Singapore in the changing times to come.”
In his letter to President 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, 49, and Desmond Tan, 54, to be promoted to senior ministers of state. Ms Low will continue in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, while Mr Tan will continue in the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Trades Union Congress
- Ms Rahayu Mahzam, 43, to be promoted to minister of state in the Ministry of Communications and Information, and the Ministry of Health. She relinquishes her appointment in the Ministry of Law.
- Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai, 56, to be minister of state for law and transport.
- Jurong GRC MP Shawn Huang, 41, 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 Mr Murali, who will be appointed and sworn in on July 1, and the senior parliamentary secretaries, who will be appointed on May 15 and sworn in on May 24.
Related
May Day Rally 2024 - 'We have built a strong foundation for future generations’: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
No comments:
Post a Comment