The highly-anticipated Singapore Cabinet reshuffle has been announced on Tuesday, April 24.
Their new roles will take effect from May 1, 2018, the first major movement since the last reshuffle on Sept. 11, 2017.
Here's a 60-second rundown of everything you need to know about the changes:
3 Ministers stepping up...
1) Chan Chun Sing
Currently: Labour chief; Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
From May 1: Minister for Trade and Industry. The whole thing, but working with S Iswaran as Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations — whatever that means.
He will also take over the Public Service Division from DPM Teo Chee Hean, and continue to be Deputy Chairman of the People's Association.
2) Ong Ye Kung
Currently: (Co-)Minister for Education (Higher Education & Skills), Second Minister for Defence
From May 1: Minister for Education. All of it. And that's it.
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3) Josephine Teo
Currently: Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs, Second Minister for Manpower
From May 1: Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs
... plus 1 Senior Minister of State promoted to full minister
1) Indranee Rajah
Currently: Senior Minister of State for Law & Finance
From May 1: Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Finance & Education, and temporarily serve as Second Minister for Law until June 30. In other words, she will help two 4G leaders - Heng Swee Keat and Ong Ye Kung.
3 retiring ministers
- Minister for Manpower Lim Swee Say,
- Minister for Trade Lim Hng Kiang and
- Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim
will be stepping down after a collective 66 years serving as cabinet ministers. Their last day in office will be April 30.
Lim will be appointed as Special Advisor to MTI with effect from May 1.
It remains to be seen if they will also retire from politics altogether at the next General Election.
2 ministers moving sideways
1) Ng Chee Meng
Currently: (Co-)Minister for Education (Schools), Second Minister for Transport
From May 1: (future) Labour chief, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (essentially following in Chan's footsteps)
2) S Iswaran
Currently: Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry)
From May 1: Minister for Communications and Information; Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations (whatever that is).
12 Ministers staying put
1) Heng Swee Keat
Currently & still: Finance Minister. But he will take on more saikang in the form of assisting PM Lee with National Research Foundation matters from DPM Teo Chee Hean.
2) Lawrence Wong
Currently & still: Minister for National Development, Second Minister for Finance
3) Grace Fu
Currently & still: Minister for Culture, Community & Youth
4) Ng Eng Hen
Currently & still: Minister for Defence
5) Vivian Balakrishnan
Currently & still: Minister for Foreign Affairs
6) K Shanmugam
Currently & still: Minister for Law & Home Affairs
7-9) The 3 coordinating ministers
Minister Khaw Boon Wan, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic & Social Policies, will all be staying put.
10) Gan Kim Yong
Currently & still: Minister for Health
11) Desmond Lee
Currently & still: Minister for Social & Family Development, Second Minister for National Development
12) Masagos Zulkifli
Currently: Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
From May 1: Minister for the Environment and Water Resources and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, taking over from Minister Yaacob.
Other office-holders stepping up:
1) Baey Yam Keng
From May 1: Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Culture, Community & Youth
2) Amrin Amin
From May 1: Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Home Affairs
Other office-holders moving sideways:
1) Heng Chee How
From May 1: Senior Minister of State for Defence
2) Sim Ann
From May 1: Senior Minister of State for Comms & Info and Culture, Community & Youth
3) Chee Hong Tat
From May 1: Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry and Education
4) Janil Puthucheary
From May 1: Senior Minister of State for Transport and Comms & Info
5) Koh Poh Koon
From May 1: Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry
6) Sam Tan
From May 1: Minister of State for Social & Family Development and Foreign Affairs
7) Low Yen Ling
From May 1: Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower and Education
Newbies joining the table:
1) Edwin Tong
From July 1: Senior Minister of State for Law and Health
2) Zaqy Mohamad
From May 1: Minister of State for Manpower and National Development
3) Sun Xueling
From May 1: Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development
4) Tan Wu Meng
From May 1: Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade & Industry
The end.
Top photo via PMO website
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