SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Friday announced a Cabinet reshuffle effective May 15 that will see seven portfolios change hands while Heng Swee Keat remains as the deputy prime minister.
The reshuffle comes two weeks after Heng said he will step aside as the leader of the fourth-generation People's Action Party (PAP) leadership team.
"Two weeks ago, I told you that we were planning a Cabinet reshuffle. Today I am announcing the new line-up. It will be a more extensive reshuffle than is usual this early in the term of government," Lee told a press conference at the Istana. A transcript of Lee's remarks at the press conference was made available to the media.
The reshuffle will also see Heng continue to serve as the Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies but relinquish the portfolio of Finance Minister which will now go to Lawrence Wong.
"Lawrence has been assisting Swee Keat as Second Minister since 2016, so he has the experience, and is a natural fit for the job," Lee said, adding that the Ministry of Finance team is otherwise unchanged. Indranee Rajah will remain as the Second Minister.
"These are frontline ministers dealing with COVID-19 and its consequences. I considered making these changes after the GE (General Election) last year, but we were then still in the thick of COVID-19.
"I decided that we need to let the ministers concentrate on fighting COVID-19 at that point. Now that the COVID-19 situation is more stable, although by no means over, I am able to make these changes," he said.
Lee said relinquishing the finance portfolio will free Heng to concentrate more on the whole-of-government economic agenda, including chairing the Future Economy Council, and incorporating the recommendations of the Emerging Stronger Taskforce into the work of the council.
Elaborating on the reshuffle, Lee said Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing will be the new Minister for Education, taking over from Lawrence Wong while Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong will be appointed Trade and Industry Minister.
Ong Ye Kung will take over from Gan as Minister for Health and relinquish his Transport portfolio to S. Iswaran who will continue as Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations in the Ministry of Trade and Industry but relinquish his appointment as Minister for Communications and Information.
Manpower Minister Josephine Teo will take over as Minister for Communications and Information but will continue as Second Minister for Home Affairs.
Dr Tan See Leng will be the new Manpower Minister. He will continue as the Second Minister for Trade and Industry.
"The rest of the ministers and ministries are unchanged," Lee said, and added that most of the 4G (fourth-generation) ministers have already accumulated experience in a wide range of portfolios.
"This round of Cabinet changes will allow them to gain new experience and exposure. They have to get to work quickly, because although our COVID-19 situation is stabler now, we are still in the midst of a public health and economic crisis.
"The reshuffle is also an opportunity for them to work together in new capacities, so that they can understand each other better, and strengthen their cohesion as a team. This will make the new team readier to take over from me and my older colleagues," said Lee.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Fri Apr 23 2021
The reshuffle will also see Heng continue to serve as the Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies but relinquish the portfolio of Finance Minister which will now go to Lawrence Wong. Filepic/REUTERS
Rakyat Malaysia di Jordan jadi duta produk PMKS negara - Ewon
Datuk Ewon Benedick menyarankan rakyat Malaysia yang menetap di Jordan supaya memainkan peranan sebagai "duta" untuk mempromosikan produk PMKS dan koperasi negara.
Fokus Minggu Depan: Solidariti Gaza Merentasi Bangsa dan Agama
Break The Siege: Fokus Minggu Depan membincangkan topik Solidariti Gaza Merentasi Bangsa dan Agama susulan penangguhan misi penghantaran bantuan ke Gaza anjuran Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).
Lelaki rugi lebih RM13,000 terperdaya tawaran kerja dalam talian
Seorang lelaki berputih mata apabila wangnya berjumlah RM13,460 lesap setelah menjadi mangsa penipuan tawaran kerja.
Misi ditangguh, delegasi Malaysia berlepas pulang
Delegasi Malaysia dalam misi Break The Siege Freedom Flotilla To Gaza akan berlepas pulang malam ini.
Keputusan dicapai selepas Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) tidak dapat meneruskan misi selepas Republik Guinea-Bissau menarik balik kebenaran menggunakan bendera untuk dua kapal yang digunakan.
Laporan lanjut bersama Syaff Shukri di Istanbul.
Keputusan dicapai selepas Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) tidak dapat meneruskan misi selepas Republik Guinea-Bissau menarik balik kebenaran menggunakan bendera untuk dua kapal yang digunakan.
Laporan lanjut bersama Syaff Shukri di Istanbul.
Mahmoud Abbas menyeru semua negara iktiraf Palestin
Presiden Palestin Mahmoud Abbas menyeru semua negara untuk mengiktiraf Palestin sebagai negara merdeka serta mengiktiraf ahli penuh Persatuan Bangsa Bangsa Bersatu (PBB). Beliau diberi peluang berucap di Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Dunia (WEF) di Arab Saudi hari ini.
Mesyuarat Khas WEF: Rangkuman hari pertama, tiga kayu ukur ekonomi perlu ada
Jurang pemulihan ekonomi menjadi modal mula mesyuarat khas World Economic Forum di Riyadh.
Bagi Malaysia, kelebihan asean di ketengahkan, manakala negara maju mahu keadaan ekonomi yang lebih sekata.
Persoalan besar adalah bagaimana titik keseimbangan dapat dicapai?
Najib Aroff bawakan laporan.
Bagi Malaysia, kelebihan asean di ketengahkan, manakala negara maju mahu keadaan ekonomi yang lebih sekata.
Persoalan besar adalah bagaimana titik keseimbangan dapat dicapai?
Najib Aroff bawakan laporan.
SPRM mohon maklumat dari Jerman berhubung dana 1MDB disyaki beli kereta mewah
Ia berhubung laporan kereta mewah dirampas oleh pihak berkuasa Jerman di Munich yang dipercayai berkait dengan kes 1MDB.
P.Pinang kerjasama dengan Persekutuan teruskan usaha tarik pelaburan semikonduktor
Kerajaan Pulau Pinang akan bekerjasama dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk meneruskan usaha menarik pelaburan dalam sektor semikonduktor, termasuk segmen reka bentuk litar bersepadu (IC) di negeri itu.
Akta baharu berkuat kuasa 1 Jun
Akta Keselamatan Dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan (Pindaan) 2022 akan berkuat kuasa pada 1 Jun ini sekali gus meningkatkan lagi tahap keselamatan dan kesihatan di tempat kerja di seluruh negara, kata Menteri Sumber Manusia Steven Sim.
Pelaburan baharu memberi cabaran baharu kepada Malaysia
Pelaburan baharu yang diterima Malaysia memberi cabaran baharu khususnya dalam memberi fokus dalam bidang teknologi dan juga Latihan dan Pendidikan Teknikal dan Vokasional (TVET).
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Hukuman gantung: Richard Branson, Stephen Fry mohon Singapura beri Nagaenthran pengampunan
Mereka menggesa presiden Singapura, Halimah Yacob dan Perdana Menteri, Lee Hsien Loong untuk memberikan Nagaenthran, 34, pengampunan.
PM Singapura Lee Hsien Loong lengkapkan regimen penuh vaksinasi COVID-19
Perdana Menteri Singapura Lee Hsien Loong menerima dos kedua vaksin COVID-19 keluaran Pfizer-BioNTech, di Hospital Besar Singapura. "Dengan ini, saya telah melengkapkan regimen penuh vaksin
Selepas SIA, Qantas pula perkenal penerbangan tanpa hala tuju
Sebanyak 196 keping tiket bagi tiga kelas penerbangan tersebut, yang bakal berlepas pada 10 Oktober depan, habis terjual dalam masa 10 minit.
COVID-19: Pelajar China mula pandang Malaysia, Singapura sebagai destinasi pendidikan
Universiti Malaya catat peningkatan 33 peratus permohonan peringkat sarjana, dan 130 peratus peningkatan permohonan peringkat pascasiswazah.
Pilihan Raya Singapura: Semua kerusi ditandingi
Kesemua 93 kerusi yang dipertandingkan dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Singapura menyaksikan pertandingan selepas berakhirnya proses penamaan calon hari ini.
Police hunt man for smuggling drugs into Singapore using drone
Police are tracking down a Singaporean man known as Boy Setan who is the prime suspect for smuggling drugs into the republic using a drone.
Malaysia, Singapore to resume discussions on high-speed rail project soon - Azmin
Azmin said, the discussions would encompass some of the proposed changes in the commercial and technical aspects of the project.
COVID-19: Pesakit melebihi 11 hari tidak berjangkit pada individu lain - Kajian Singapura
Kajian bersama yang dilakukan di Singapura mendapati, pesakit COVID-19 yang telah melebihi 11 hari, tidak berisiko untuk menjangkiti individu lain.
COVID-19: Satu lagi asrama pekerja asing diklasifikasi sebagai kluster baharu di Singapura
Singapura mengenalpasti satu lagi kluster baharu COVID-19 melibatkan sebuah asrama pekerja asing yang terletak di Kranji Road, pada lewat Isnin.