After the resounding GE 2015 victory by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) earlier this month, it appears that everyone is a winner in this Cabinet reshuffle too.

This was what Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told the media on Sept. 12:

“We need to form a new Cabinet because we have new faces now, we have one or two retirees, and that’s what I’ll be doing over the next two weeks”.

In short, these are the changes: One new retirement (Lee Yi Shyan), seven new faces (Ong Ye Kung, Ng Chee Meng, Chee Hong Tat, Koh Poh Koon, Janil Puthucheary, Baey Yam Keng and Amrin Amin) and three promotions (Ministers of State Maliki Osman, Sim Ann and Desmond Lee to Senior Ministers of State).

As academic Cherian George noted in his post-GE commentary about the PAP:

"The only things that rang hollow about the victory were PAP candidates’ programmed intonations that they felt “humbled” by it: in their mind’s eye, each was probably performing an exultant goalscorer’s medley of somersaults, knee-slides, badge-kisses and heaven-pointing. And who can blame them."

Using goals to measure the level of success experienced by the politicians, we present to you the Winners and Losers  Winners of the 2015 Singapore cabinet reshuffle:

1. Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, now the new Foreign Affairs Minister

Observations: The Foreign Affairs ministry is traditionally a portfolio for heavyweight ministers. Alumni include three former Deputy Prime Ministers — S Rajaratnam, Wong Kan Seng and S Jayakumar.

This is probably perceived as a move up for Minister Vivian, who previously held the portfolios of Environment and Water Resources as well as Community Development, Youth and Sports.

In PM's words (from his speech at the press conference): He (Vivian) has "done a good job at Environment and Water Resources" and "represented Singapore ably at international fora".

Mothership.sg's rating: 3 goals. And he also bicycle-kicked Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)'s Chief Chee Soon Juan out of Parliament.

2. Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, now the Home Affairs Minister

Observations:

The Home Affairs ministry is among the most senior-level portfolios in the cabinet — after all, Singapore's last three Home Affairs Ministers (not counting his own short term in office) became or were Deputy Prime Ministers when they took over the portfolio.

Will Minister Shanmugam become the fourth consecutive Home Affairs Minister to be appointed as DPM?

Stay tuned for PM Lee's mid-term review.

In PM's words: "He was in Home Affairs for a short period before the last GE, so the portfolio will be familiar to him".

Mothership.sg's rating: 3 goals. Also provided many counter-attacks against the Workers' Party (WP).

3. Masagos Zulkifli and Grace Fu, who will from October helm their own ministries

Observations:

Both were Ministers without Ministries before the GE. PM Lee will be able to assess their ministerial leadership skills after this reshuffle.

Masagos looks poised to take over Minister Yaacob Ibrahim as the pre-eminent Malay-Muslim minister in the cabinet. In fact, Masagos may be following Yaacob's "ministerial route" — Yaacob's second portfolio, after Community Development and Sports, was also at MEWR.

Grace Fu will take over Lawrence Wong as the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth. She is the first female full (Fu) minister to helm her own Ministry. 'Nuff said.

In PM's words: "Masagos will also assist Yaacob in handling Muslim Affairs."; "(Fu) Will also take over from Dr Ng Eng Hen as the Leader of the House."

Mothership.sg's rating: 2 goals each.

4. Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, who will become Finance Minister 

Observations:

With this appointment, we believe Heng will have "fulfilled his destiny", with the kids a four-year distraction for him (Just kidding, MOE).

We'll explain. Prior to this, Heng was the Managing Director of our central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), from 2005 to 2011. We also recall that DPM and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam held a leadership role during his time at MAS — he was Chief Executive in 1998 before entering politics in 2001.

Heng's predecessors, Lee Hsien Loong and Tharman, were DPMs as well as Finance Ministers for the second- and third-generation batch of political leaders. Will it be third time lucky for our next Finance Minister? Will he be one of the DPMs for the nation's fourth-generation batch of political leaders?

In PM's words: He "proved himself in Education, a demanding portfolio". He "will oversee our national finances" and "make sure we spend within our means".

Mothership.sg's rating: 3 goals. Heng has fulfilled his potential as a key player.

5. Minister in PMO and 2nd Minister in MHA and MTI S Iswaran becomes Minister of Trade and Industry (Trade)

Observations:

For a Minister in charge of the F1 race, his ministerial route is more Williams than Mercedes/Ferrari.

During the GE, Iswaran and fellow MTI Minister Lim Hng Kiang were the co-anchor ministers for West Coast GRC. In this cabinet reshuffle, he becomes the Minister of Trade and Industry (Trade) but not (Industry) yet.

This means that Lim continues to hold the record for the longest-serving Minister in the same ministry in this cabinet — 11 years (since 2004). Don't be surprised if Iswaran finally becomes the Minister for Trade and Industry and the anchor Minister for West Coast GRC in future, though.

In PM's words: "Have asked him to focus on economic restructuring and creating a vibrant domestic economy."

Mothership.sg's rating: Half a goal. Whatever that means.

Top photo from Lee Hsien Loong's Facebook page.

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