The ins, outs & lateral moves of S'pore's office holders by constituency after PM Lee's reshuffle

Tanjong Pagar has the most number of MPs who are office holders, followed by Marine Parade and East Coast.

Sulaiman Daud | July 29, 2020, 05:02 PM

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took 15 days to settle on his new Cabinet after GE2020, with lots of movement, promotions, lateral moves and exits to chew over.

Here's our complete list of how the office holders are represented within, in alphabetical order.

Aljunied

Won comfortably by the Workers' Party. The leader of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has appointed Pritam Singh as the Leader of the Opposition.

Ang Mo Kio

Screen shot from Mothership.

Obviously you have the big gun, PM Lee himself. Ang Mo Kio GRC saw two newcomers, with Nadia Samdin and Ng Ling Ling coming in. But none of the others are office-holders.

Previously, Ang Mo Kio had six MPs. Along with PM Lee, it included Koh Poh Koon, who held roles as the Senior Minister of State (SMS) for Trade and Industry and also National Development.

So Ang Mo Kio went from having two office holders to just one -- but he's the biggest office holder of all.

Bishan-Toa Payoh

Screen shot from Mothership.

Ng Eng Hen is your Anchor Minister, Bishan-Toa Payohites (Bishan-Toa Payohians?) He remains Defence Minister after the reshuffle.

Before the election, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo was also part of this constituency, but she left to anchor another GRC. However, Chee Hong Tat was an office holder, as SMS for Education and Trade & Industry.

After the reshuffle, Chee was given new responsibilities as SMS for Transport and Foreign Affairs. Saktiandi and Chong were not given new appointments. So Bishan-Toa Payoh lost one Cabinet Minister to Jalan Besar.

Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang

Both Bukits were challenged by the Singapore Democratic Party, the PAP won both.

Murali Pillai and Liang Eng Hwa continue as MPs.

Chua Chu Kang GRC

Screen shot from Mothership.

Chua Chu Kang still fielded four candidates, same as in 2015, but there were a couple of changes. Yee Chia Hsing did not stand after a term and Zaqy Mohamad went elsewhere. They were replaced by Dzulkharnain Abdul Rahim and Don Wee.

Gan Kim Yong stayed put, both in Chua Chu Kang and as Health Minister.

Zaqy served as Minister of State (MOS) for National Development and Manpower, so Chua Chu Kang lost one office holder.

However, Low Yen Ling received a promotion, becoming Minister of State (MOS) for Culture, Community & Youth and also Trade & Industry. She also serves as the Mayor of South West District and the Coordinator of Mayors.

East Coast

Screen shot from Mothership.

East Coast was one of the more closely-watched battlegrounds, due to a strong Workers' Party challenge and the last minute addition of Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

East Coast had already "lost" office holders after Lim Swee Say and Lee Yi Shyan stepped down from their posts.

Heng has been appointed Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, and along with his Finance Ministry portfolio, is also responsible for:

  • Strategy Group
  • Future Economy Council
  • National Research Foundation (assisting PM)
  • Productivity Fund Administration Board (assisting PM)

East Coast not only added Heng, but Maliki Osman also received a promotion in the latest reshuffle. He is now a full Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, and Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs.

Newcomer Tan Kiat How gets an appointment as MOS for National Development and in the Prime Minister's Office. He will also be the Chairman of REACH.

Holland-Bukit Timah

Screen shot from Mothership.

Something of status quo for this constituency. While it bid farewell to Liang Eng Hwa and welcomed Timbre co-founder Edward Chia, Vivian Balakrishnan remained Anchor Minister (Foreign Affairs).

Sim Ann, meanwhile, received a new appointment as SMS for National Development, but kept her previous role as SMS for Communications and Information.

Hong Kah North

Amy Khor retains her position as SMS for Sustainability and the Environment, but gets a new appointment as SMS for Transport.

Hougang

Another Workers' Party-held constituency.

Jalan Besar

Screen shot from Mothership.

Jalan Besar lost the retiring Yaacob Ibrahim, formerly a Cabinet Minister, but gained a new one in Manpower Minister Josephine Teo.

Meanwhile, Heng Chee How remains as SMS for Defence.

Jurong

Screen shot from Mothership.

The Jurong team went through some upheaval, even setting aside Ivan Lim-related drama.

Jurong lost a Cabinet Minister, Desmond Lee, who used to head the Ministry of Social and Family Development. Tan Wu Meng also gave up his Senior Parliamentary Secretary (SPS) posts in Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry.

But Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam remains Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and heads the National Jobs Council.

And Rahayu Mahzam received a new appointment as Parliamentary Secretary for Health.

Kebun Baru

Henry Kwek beat Kumaran Pillai, continues as MP.

MacPherson

Same for Tin Pei Ling, who beat Goh Meng Seng handily, and continues as MP.

Marine Parade

Screen shot from Mothership.

Marine Parade includes Tan See Leng, who received a promotion to full Cabinet Minister (PMO) and also Second Minister for Trade and Industry.

Tan is only the second first-term MP-elect to be promoted directly to Cabinet after Heng Swee Keat in 2011 (Education Minister) during PM's premiership. He is the sixth first-term MP-elect in Singapore's history to be promoted directly to Cabinet.

Tan takes over from Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in his constituency, who stepped down from the GRC before the election.

Meanwhile, Tan Chuan-Jin remains the Speaker and the anchor leader of the GRC, and Edwin Tong receives a promotion to full Minister, for Culture, Community and Youth. He will also be Second Minister for Law.

Also, Fahmi Aliman is the new Mayor for South East District. Marine Parade looks pretty stacked with office-holders.

Marsiling-Yew Tee

Screen shot from Mothership.

This GRC also saw a high-profile departure, with Halimah Yacob becoming President. In comes Zaqy Mohamad, who was promoted to SMS for Defence and Manpower.

Ong Teng Koon left, and was replaced by newcomer Hany Soh.

Lawrence Wong, their Anchor Minister, shifted from National Development to Education in one of the more noteworthy developments of the reshuffle.

Marymount

Gan Siow Huang is another newcomer with appointments, she will serve as MOS for Education and Manpower.

Mountbatten

Lim Biow Chuan, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, kept his seat here.

Nee Soon

Screen shot from Mothership.

Nee Soon saw the departures of Henry Kwek and Lee Bee Wah, with newcomers Derrick Goh (from DBS bank) and Carrie Tan (founder of charity Daughters of Tomorrow) joining the ranks.

Shanmugam remains as Minister for both Home Affairs and Law, but Faishal Ibrahim has been promoted to MOS, and gets new appointments at Home Affairs and National Development.

Pasir Ris-Punggol

Screen shot from Mothership.

Pasir-Ris Punggol sees three newcomers, as well as going from six MPs to five.

Teo Chee Hean remains Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, as well as leading a number of other organisations:

  • Smart Nation and Digital Government Group
  • National Security Coordination Secretariat
  • National Population and Talent Division
  • National Climate Change Secretariat

Janil Puthucheary will be SMS for Health and Communications & Information. Desmond Tan gets an appointment as MOS for Home Affairs and Sustainability & Environment.

Pioneer

Pioneer saw the only independent candidate standing in a three-way fight. Patrick Tay, the eventual winner, continues as MP.

Potong Pasir

Sitoh Yih Pin beat Jose Raymond, and continues as MP.

Punggol West

Sun Xueling stood in this SMC against the Workers' Party's Tan Chen Chen, she received a promotion to MOS for Education and Social & Family Development.

Radin Mas

Melvin Yong's the winner here, and continues as MP.

Sembawang

Screen shot from Mothership.

Some big changes here, with Khaw Boon Wan retiring as Transport Minister and Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure.

Ong Ye Kung changes portfolios from Education to Transport.

None of the others received appointments.

Sengkang

The big surprise of Polling Day, the new Sengkang GRC with three PAP office holders fell to the Workers' Party.

Tampines

Screen shot from Mothership.

Heng Swee Keat left, with Masagos Zulkifli as Anchor Minister. Masagos switches portfolios to Social and Family Development.

However, he also gets another appointment as Second Minister for Health, as well as Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, and Community Development Council matters (assisting Chan Chun Sing).

Koh Poh Koon comes in from Ang Mo Kio, the new SMS for Health. Baey Yam Keng remains Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport.

Tanjong Pagar

Screen shot from Mothership.

Tanjong Pagar has the most number of MPs who are office holders.

Chan Chun Sing remains Trade & Industry Minister, with additional responsibilities with the People's Association and the Public Service Division.

Indranee Rajah remains Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, and is Second Minister for Finance and National Development.

Newcomer Alvin Tan gets an appointment as MOS for Culture, Community & Youth and Trade & Industry.

Newcomer Eric Chua gets an appointment as Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community & Youth and Social & Family Development.

West Coast

Screen shot from Mothership.

Another GRC with two full Cabinet Ministers, the PAP saw off a strong challenge from Tan Cheng Bock and the Progress Singapore Party here.

Iswaran remains Minister for Communications & Information, and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations.

Newcomer Desmond Lee changes portfolios, and is now the Minister for National Development. He also is Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration.

Yio Chu Kang

New-comer Yip Hon Weng beat PSP's Kayla Low.

Yuhua

We round off the pack with Yuhua, where Grace Fu is the new Minister for Sustainability & Environment.