PM Lawrence Wong unveils new Cabinet after GE2025, says it’s the ‘strongest team’ for Singapore

DPM Gan remains No. 2; three veterans to take on coordinating minister roles
9 new office-holders, including David Neo and Jeffrey Siow as acting ministers
All ministries to see at least one change in personnel; six to be led by new ministers

By Goh Yan Han, The Straits Times, 22 May 2025

A core team of four senior leaders and the appointment of two new and younger ministers are part of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s new Cabinet “to take Singapore forward in these uncertain and turbulent times”, he said.

On May 21, PM Wong announced his Cabinet for the new term of government, about two weeks after he received a strong mandate from Singaporeans at the polls.

“With your strong support, I have done my utmost to assemble the strongest team I could for Singapore,” he said at a press conference at the National Press Centre.

Three existing ministers, Mr K. Shanmugam, Mr Chan Chun Sing and Mr Ong Ye Kung, will be taking on coordinating minister roles, while Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong will remain as PM Wong’s No. 2 – making up the team of four senior leaders.

Two new MPs and former public servants, Mr David Neo and Mr Jeffrey Siow, have been appointed as acting ministers.

This is PM Wong’s first Cabinet reshuffle after a general election. He had led his PAP team to win 65.57 per cent of the nationwide vote share at the polls on May 3. PM Wong had made few changes in his first reshuffle in May 2024 after taking on the role of head of government.

The latest changes largely involve the younger and newer office-holders and the social and security portfolios, while the economic portfolios were mostly kept unchanged. All ministries saw at least one change in personnel.

Overall, four existing office-holders will be promoted: Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim, Mr Murali Pillai, Ms Sun Xueling and Mr Baey Yam Keng.

Nine new office-holders will be appointed: Mr Neo, Mr Siow, Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, Ms Jasmin Lau, Mr Goh Pei Ming, Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Ms Goh Hanyan and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi.

Six office-holders retired from Cabinet and politics: Mr Heng Swee Keat, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Dr Maliki Osman, Mr Heng Chee How and Dr Amy Khor.

PM Wong said that most of the ministers who lead Singapore’s economic agenda will be kept in their current roles during this critical period.

“We are operating in a changed world with rising trade barriers, sharper competition and greater uncertainty, and we need experienced hands at the helm,” he said. He will continue to helm the Finance Ministry.

The new Cabinet changes will be effective from May 23, when most of the new political office-holders will be sworn in.

There will be only one deputy prime minister in this Cabinet. This departs from tradition, as PM Wong’s predecessors each had two after their first elections as prime minister.

Asked about this, PM Wong said: “For now, I have a solid team behind me. Gan Kim Yong is my deputy prime minister, and I’ve appointed three coordinating ministers. So that’s four senior leaders in my Cabinet.

“They are part of the core team to assist me, to advise me, and also to provide guidance and mentorship to the new and younger ministers.”

DPM Gan will be Acting Prime Minister in his absence, PM Wong added. If both men are not around, one of the coordinating ministers will take that role.

“I think that’s a good configuration for now, and of course, along the way, I may make further adjustments where needed,” said PM Wong.

His Cabinet’s first priority will be to secure Singapore’s position in the new global environment and to advance the nation’s interests overseas.

It will also steer Singapore through economic uncertainties and changes, he said.

“It’s with this in mind that... I’ve kept most of the experienced ministers in the core areas like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the economic ministries, but where there are gaps, then obviously I will have to field and move ministers around,” he said.

Key changes to the Cabinet

The three coordinating ministers will look after three areas – national security, public services and social policies.

Mr Shanmugam will take on the national security portfolio that was previously helmed by Senior Minister Teo.

Mr Shanmugam will also remain Minister for Home Affairs but relinquish his role as Minister for Law to Mr Edwin Tong, who is currently Second Minister for Law.

Mr Chan will look after public services, a new portfolio created in this reshuffle that will look at bringing together public services in a more accessible and integrated manner. This includes coordinating a wide range of different amenities and facilities in the new housing estates.

Mr Chan will also take on the role of Minister for Defence, filling the gap left by the retired Dr Ng. He will relinquish his education portfolio.

Mr Ong will be the one to coordinate and oversee efforts in reviewing and updating social policies.

The role was last held by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was then senior minister.

Mr Ong will continue as Minister for Health, as per his request to oversee the major initiatives started in the last term such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG, said PM Wong.

Among the economic portfolios, DPM Gan will continue as Minister for Trade and Industry, supported by Ms Grace Fu, who will continue as Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations on top of her sustainability and environment portfolio.

Dr Tan See Leng, who is currently Second Minister at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, will be appointed to a new role – Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology. He will remain as Minister for Manpower.

PM Wong said science and technology is a key driver of growth while energy, especially clean energy, will be an important part of this government’s agenda.

Mrs Josephine Teo will continue as Minister for Digital Development and Information and as Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation initiative.

Newly elected Jalan Kayu MP Ng Chee Meng, who was previously a minister before he lost in the 2020 General Election, had requested not to be offered a position in government to focus on his work as secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress and in Jalan Kayu.

Stakes high in GE2025; no guarantee PAP will win and form a stable government, says PM Lawrence Wong

People’s Action Party Awards and Conference 2024

By Kenneth Cheng, Assistant News Editor, The Straits Times, 25 Nov 2024

The upcoming general election in 2025 will be a high-stakes one, and Singapore risks ending up with a much weaker government if there is just a modest swing in popular votes against the ruling party, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Speaking at the People’s Action Party conference at the Singapore Expo on Nov 24, he told party members: “Please don’t think it is guaranteed that the PAP will win and form a stable government.”

In a speech lasting about 40 minutes, the Prime Minister also highlighted the need for Singaporeans to stay united in the midst of trying circumstances beyond the country’s borders, and spoke of the urgency for the PAP to have a fresh crop of younger candidates who can take the nation forward.

He noted that in the 2020 General Election, the opposition had warned Singaporeans against an “opposition wipe-out”.

“Actually, there is no chance of that happening at all,” he said, adding that the opposition in Singapore is here to stay.

There have been opposition MPs in Parliament since 1981, and the Non-Constituency MP scheme guarantees at least 12 opposition MPs in the House, noted PM Wong, who is set to take over as PAP secretary-general. He is now the party’s deputy secretary-general.

“In fact, given the desire for more opposition voices, the bigger risk we face is the loss of a stable and strong and good government,” he said.

The opposition admits it is far from ready to form the Government, he told an audience of about 3,000 PAP cadres, activists and guests.

“They say that partly because they know that Singaporeans will not support them if they openly declare their intention to govern,” he added.

But if more and more voters are persuaded by the opposition’s argument to vote them in so they can oppose the government of the day, “you can be sure that what is now the opposition will soon be the Government”, said PM Wong.

He cautioned that such a scenario would not require a large swing in votes at the next general election, which must be held by November 2025.

A modest swing in popular votes against the PAP, he noted, can lead to very different electoral outcomes, and very possibly the loss of another three or four group representation constituencies or GRCs.

This means the party will lose four or five ministers – or a quarter of the Cabinet.

“We will end up with a much weaker government, with far less ability to solve the problems facing our people and our country at a time when the world is becoming more uncertain and troubled,” he said.

“So, comrades, the stakes in the next election are high.”

PM Wong urged the party to work hard for every vote, to earn the confidence and trust of Singaporeans, win the mandate to govern, and ultimately, serve fellow Singaporeans.

“We know from the last election, and more so in the next election, there are no longer any safe seats,” he said.

“So every resident, every vote counts, and all our efforts matter.”

He noted that the PAP faces a rather unique political challenge, having governed Singapore for 65 years.

It is the party’s desire to keep serving Singaporeans for as long as possible, but he warned that members must never assume they will not see a change in government in their lifetime.

Singapore’s next Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announces changes to Cabinet on 13 May 2024

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.

“Continuity and stability are key considerations, especially as we are approaching the end of this term of government,” he said.

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.

“It is indeed my honour to be given this opportunity, and I will do my best to support the new prime minister and his team,” he said.

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.”

Singapore Cabinet changes with effect from 13 June 2022

Lawrence Wong promoted to Deputy Prime Minister as part of Singapore Cabinet changes

By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 6 Jun 2022

Finance Minister Lawrence Wong will be promoted to Deputy Prime Minister from June 13, in a move that cements his standing as the successor to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The announcement comes two months after Mr Wong, 49, was endorsed by his peers as the leader of the People's Action Party's (PAP) fourth-generation team.

He will be the Acting Prime Minister in the absence of PM Lee, 70.

Mr Wong will also continue as Minister for Finance, and assume responsibility for the Strategy Group within the Prime Minister's Office, taking over this role from Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

The Strategy Group oversees key priorities and issues facing Singapore over the medium to long term, such as population and climate change.

Mr Heng, 61, will remain as Deputy Prime Minister.

He will also continue as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, and oversee the Future Economy Council as well as assist PM Lee in overseeing the National Research Foundation and Productivity Fund Administration Board.

PM Lee said in a Facebook post on Monday (June 6): "The next generation leadership is taking shape. I ask everyone to give your full support to this important transition, to steer Singapore safely out of the pandemic and into a brighter future."

After the announcement, Mr Wong said in a Facebook post that when he was asked by his fellow 4G ministers to lead the team, he knew he would be taking on what would possibly be the biggest responsibility of his life.

Reiterating the commitment he made when he was chosen to lead the team, he said: "As I've said before, I will do my best and give every ounce of my strength to serve Singapore and Singaporeans. In turn, I seek your support, as I take on my latest appointment as DPM, and take another step forward in embracing my new responsibilities.

"I look forward to walking this journey with all of you, and working with everyone - to steer Singapore through the many challenges we are facing today, and to chart our new way forward together for a better tomorrow."

DPM Heng, in a separate Facebook post, pledged to work with Mr Wong.

"We took another important step towards leadership renewal today, with the appointment of Lawrence Wong as DPM," he said.

"Lawrence has our fullest support. I will give my all to help him succeed, while serving alongside him as DPM and as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies."

The Cabinet changes, announced by the Prime Minister's Office, move Singapore's leadership transition process further along, after it hit a snag when Mr Heng stepped aside as leader of the 4G team in April last year.

The Cabinet has traditionally had two deputy prime minsters since the 1980s, with the exception of a short period in the 1990s when PM Lee was the only DPM on board, and since May 2019, when DPM Heng was the only person holding the post.

Besides Mr Wong's promotion, eight office-holders will be promoted or given new portfolios and responsibilities.

Minister of State for National Development, and Communications and Information Tan Kiat How will be promoted to Senior Minister of State.

Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Social and Family Development Eric Chua will be promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary.

Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam will also be promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary. She will remain at the Ministry of Health and take up a new appointment in the Ministry of Law, and relinquish her appointment at the Ministry of Communications and Information.

Meanwhile, Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat, who joined the labour movement last year, will relinquish his role as deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress and return to Government full-time. He will be given an additional portfolio in the Ministry of Finance.

Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Health Koh Poh Koon will give up his Health portfolio and join the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.

Minister of State for Social and Family Development and Education Sun Xueling will relinquish her Education portfolio and join the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Minister of State for Home Affairs and Sustainability and the Environment Desmond Tan will relinquish both portfolios. He will be appointed Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, and take on Mr Chee's role in the labour movement.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng will take on an additional portfolio in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.

The latest changes come a year after seven 4G ministers were given new roles in a major reshuffle in May 2021.

At that time, Mr Wong was given the key finance portfolio.

In April this year, PM Lee announced that Mr Wong had been selected as leader of the 4G team by his peers and that Cabinet ministers had affirmed the choice.

The decision was then endorsed by all PAP MPs in a party caucus.

Mr Wong was a senior civil servant before contesting the 2011 General Election, and became minister of state for defence and education. He was acting minister for culture, community and youth in 2012, and promoted to full minister in 2014.

He became national development minister in 2015, took on an additional role as second minister for finance in 2016, and was made education minister after the 2020 General Election. He became finance minister in May last year.

Others in the PAP 4G team also expressed support for Mr Wong.

In a Facebook post, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said: "With promotion certainly comes greater responsibilities, and as a team, we are always ready to lean in and support one another."

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin thanked Mr Wong and the other office-holders for "leading and making a difference".

Lawrence Wong to lead PAP's 4G team, paving way for him to be Singapore's next Prime Minister

Humbled and grateful for the trust and confidence: PAP's new 4G leader Lawrence Wong

By Zakir Hussain, Political Editor, The Straits Times, 14 Apr 2022

Finance Minister Lawrence Wong has been selected to be the leader of the ruling People's Action Party's (PAP) fourth-generation (4G) team, paving the way for him to be Singapore's next prime minister.

Cabinet ministers affirmed their choice of Mr Wong, 49, as the leader of the 4G team on Thursday (April 14), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a statement.

This decision was then endorsed by all government MPs in a party caucus, added PM Lee, who is secretary-general of the PAP.

The statement comes a year after Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, 61, announced he had decided to step aside as leader of the 4G team, to pave the way for a younger person with a longer runway to lead the country when PM Lee retires.

At the time, the 4G ministers had asked for more time to reach a consensus on their next leader, as the country was still battling the Covid-19 pandemic.

But with the pandemic situation having stabilised recently, they were able to relook the issue of succession.

Giving details of how the decision was reached, PM Lee said that after consulting the ministers, he asked former minister Khaw Boon Wan, a former PAP chairman, to start a process involving the ministers, as well as Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng, both former 4G ministers.

"Mr Khaw met each one of them individually, to sound out their personal views in confidence and to facilitate a new consensus on a 4G leader. The views of the Prime Minister and the two Senior Ministers were not sought," the statement said.

"Mr Khaw found that the overwhelming majority of those consulted supported Minister Wong as the leader."

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Khaw briefed Cabinet ministers, as well as Mr Tan and Mr Ng, on his findings, and all endorsed the decision for Mr Wong to lead the team.

This decision was subsequently presented to and endorsed by PAP MPs in the evening.

The statement also said PM Lee will make adjustments to Cabinet appointments and these will be announced in due course.

"This decision on succession is a crucial one for Singapore. It will ensure the continuity and stability of leadership that are the hallmarks of our system," PM Lee said in a Facebook post.

"The right to lead is not inherited. It has to be earned afresh by each generation of leaders. Singapore will always need a strong team in charge, with a leader who can bring others together, and draw out the best of each team member," he added.

"I have every confidence that Lawrence and his team will continue to give their best for Singapore and Singaporeans."

Mr Wong is a co-chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on Covid-19 and was appointed to the key finance portfolio in the last Cabinet reshuffle in May 2021.

He was a senior civil servant before he entered politics in the 2011 General Election, and became Minister of State for Defence and Education. He was appointed Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth in November 2012 and promoted to full minister in May 2014.

He became Minister for National Development in 2015, took on an additional appointment as Second Minister for Finance in 2016, and was made Education Minister after the 2020 General Election. He became Finance Minister in May 2021.

Mr Wong said in a Facebook post that he was humbled and grateful for the trust and confidence of his colleagues, who have chosen him to lead them, and for the support of his fellow MPs.

"From the very beginning in 1959, our model of political leadership has never been about one person, but the team. Each of us contributes, complements each other, and gives our best to Singapore," he said.

"My colleagues in the 4G leadership have stood shoulder to shoulder with each other in the fight against Covid-19. The experience of the past two years has cemented our cohesiveness and strengthened our resolve to steward Singapore safely through this crisis and beyond."

He added: "It is my privilege to be called upon to lead this team. I will do my utmost to uphold this responsibility. But as we have been reminded many times, the right to lead cannot be inherited. Together with the rest of the 4G team, I will continue to serve Singaporeans wholeheartedly, and strive to earn the trust and support of each and every one of our fellow citizens."

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said he looked forward to continue working closely with Mr Wong and the team, adding that many geopolitical and economic uncertainties and social challenges remain.

“The 4G team will continue to work closely together with Singaporeans to improve their lives while seizing opportunities to leave behind a better Singapore for future generations,” he said.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said he had witnessed Mr Wong’s dedication and commitment to Singapore and Singaporeans, adding that he puts his heart and soul into what he does, and is never a seeker of credit or fanfare.

“The 4G team, now led by Minister Lawrence Wong, will continue to put Singapore and Singaporeans at the heart of every decision we make. I will do my utmost to support him, and look forward to be part of his team,” he added.

Observers said Mr Wong’s communication skills, seen in his delivery of his maiden Budget speech in February, gave him an edge.

DPM Heng said: “It was not an easy Budget to deliver, but he did so with verve, steadiness and a sense of fairness.”

He added: “I have found him to be a leader who considers things carefully, is able to bring people together, and has conviction to do what’s right for Singapore.”

Lawrence Wong clear choice to helm PAP's 4G leadership, with 15 of 19 stakeholders backing him

By Warren Fernandez, Editor-in-Chief, The Straits Times, 16 Apr 2022

The choice of Mr Lawrence Wong to helm the People's Action Party's fourth-generation (4G) leadership was made by an "overwhelming majority" of those involved, and this was subsequently endorsed by its top leaders and all its MPs.

This process of forging a consensus on who should lead the party, and Singapore, should the PAP win the next general election, was undertaken in a systematic and thorough way, to allow for candour, introspection and objectivity, and to help forge unity and support for the outcome.

Mr Wong, 49, emerged as the top choice of 15 out of the 19 stakeholders involved.

The 19 were all the Cabinet ministers, excluding Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the two senior ministers, and included Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng, both former 4G ministers.

Each of the 19 was interviewed separately by former PAP chairman Khaw Boon Wan over the past month after the Budget debate in March. They were asked for their preferred choice - other than themselves - and had to rank potential candidates in order of their preference.

None of the other names garnered more than two votes, said Mr Khaw, indicating a clear majority of 79 per cent for Mr Wong.

This was more than a super-majority, he added.

Details of the vote were disclosed at a media conference held at the Istana on Saturday morning (April 16). It was chaired by PM Lee and attended by Mr Wong and Mr Khaw, to elaborate on Thursday's announcement of the party's choice of its next leader.

PM Lee said this was a major step forward in the political succession process, which he felt could not be delayed much further, as the uncertainty was not good for the country, given the many challenges ahead.

Now that the 4G choice was made, he would discuss with Mr Wong the timeline and next steps, with a view to handing over when Mr Wong and the 4G team are ready. This process would be done "carefully and deliberately", he said.

He would discuss with Mr Wong and decide later what was the best strategy for the PAP to contest the next election, which is due by November 2025.

This might include handing over to Mr Wong and his team ahead of the polls to allow them to contest and seek a fresh mandate from the electorate. Alternatively, PM Lee could lead the PAP team to fight the election, and if the PAP wins, Mr Wong would step up as PM some time thereafter.

"It will depend on how things evolve, it's something which we'll decide later on. But either way, our plan is for Lawrence to be the next PM, if the PAP wins the next GE. That has been settled.

"And the reaction from the public over the last two days shows that many people are happy we have taken this decision, and are happy with the decision."

This process of forging a consensus around the next leader was important, he added, since as first among equals in the Cabinet, the PM must have the support of his ministers, who bear collective responsibility for their decisions.

"Otherwise, the Government cannot function," said PM Lee, adding that the process was to pick the 4G leader, not his deputy or a 5G leader. It would be up to Mr Wong to pick his choice of deputy and his team later.

"To be effective as a PM, he must be able to trust and rely on his ministers, and his ministers must also be team players, supporting the PM, their PM, and supporting the team. And they all have to help the team to score goals collectively for Singapore."

For his part, in his first public outing since Thursday's announcement, Mr Wong said that he would work hard, together with his colleagues, to continue to win and earn the trust of Singaporeans.

He noted 4G leaders had already taken a “first step” in a multi-year plan to renew and strengthen society’s social compact in this year’s Budget, and would comprehensively review policies to see what more could be adjusted and improved.

“So, this would be a major agenda for the 4G team,” he said. “But beyond that, we will as a team continue to work hard to win the trust and support of every Singaporean, to create bonds and connect with them, and to develop new ideas that will resonate with Singaporeans, and especially with a new generation of Singaporeans."

He added: "I fully recognise the growing diversity of experiences and perspectives amongst Singaporeans, and I would like every Singaporean to know and feel that they will always have a stake in our society, even as we chart our new way forward together.

"And as leader of the team, that will be the approach, the attitude and the spirit I will adopt."

Acknowledging that he had his work cut out for him as he embarked on "possibly the biggest responsibility of my life", he added that he was "under no illusions about the demands of the job".

"It will get more challenging with greater political contestation and the growing desire for diversity in Parliament.

"And as PM said in Parliament recently, we do not assume that the PAP will win the next general election. Every GE from now on will be about which party will form the Government, not just how many seats the opposition wins or what percentage of the votes the ruling party gets.

"Knowing full well that we will have to earn the right of leadership, I will continue with the same principles that have guided me all these years, which is to give of my best, to engage and listen, and to learn and improve continually."

CDC Vouchers Scheme: 1.3 million Singaporean households to receive $100 CDC vouchers; vouchers valid till 31 December 2022

$100 worth of CDC vouchers for each Singaporean household available for collection online from 13 December 2021

By Goh Yan Han, The Straits Times, 14 Dec 2021

All Singaporean households can now collect $100 worth of vouchers that they can spend at about 10,000 participating hawker stalls and heartland merchants.

The community development council (CDC) vouchers, worth $130 million in total and given out to 1.3 million households, are available for collection digitally from Monday (Dec 13) and can be used till Dec 31, 2022.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who launched the latest tranche of the voucher scheme on Monday, said in a Facebook post later in the day that over 200,000 households had claimed the vouchers.

One Singaporean per household can claim the vouchers through an online link that requires the use of Singpass. He will then receive a link at his registered mobile number.

This link can then be shared via messaging apps with household members, who can then use the vouchers that come in denominations of $2, $5 and $10.

A unique decal will be used to identify participating merchants, with more expected to come on board.

Those who are unable to claim or use the vouchers digitally, such as if they do not have a smartphone, can approach community clubs or centres for assistance, such as to print hard copy vouchers.

To spend the voucher digitally, the resident has to click on the CDC vouchers link, select the amount to be used and show the QR code to a participating merchant, who will then scan it using the RedeemSG Merchant App.

Those using hard copy vouchers have to show the merchant the QR code on the voucher, which the merchant will then scan.

No change will be given, so residents have to select the suitable denominations of vouchers and top up the extra, or forfeit the remaining value.

The vouchers are not allowed to be resold, and each resident's address is stated on the voucher link to deter reselling.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had announced this third update to the scheme at Budget 2021 as part of a $900 million Household Support Package.

The CDC voucher scheme was launched last June to help up to 400,000 lower-income families, with a second tranche for them announced in January this year.

PM Lee said at the launch held at Jurong Spring Community Club that the vouchers are to express the Government’s appreciation for everyone’s solidarity amid the pandemic.

They should also help to defray some daily expenses such as food and essential household items and services, as well as support local heartland shops and hawkers that have been hit hard during the pandemic, he said.

He noted that the fight against Covid-19 has been a long and winding journey and the country's response to it has had to adapt accordingly when the virus "surprised us multiple times".

He said: "It's been challenging for everyone, especially for our residents and for our heartland businesses, to keep up with the new policies and changing situations.

"Thank you for bearing with us, and for your continued trust and support as we make our way through these difficult times."

The voucher scheme has gone digital so that they are easier to use, said PM Lee, who is also chairman of the People's Association, which CDCs come under.

Merchants can better track transactions and receive payment faster with less hassle, while residents have the convenience and flexibility of digital vouchers, he added.