[Tee tiong huat]

A continuity change as experienced & fresh faces come together in PM Wong’s new Cabinet. A biggest surprise of PM Lawrence Wong’s announcement of his new Cabinet on May 21 was, without doubt, his decision not to appoint 2nd deputy pm since S'pore has by custom had two DPMs since 1980s. Alongside retention of experienced ministers in core portfolios such as finance, home affairs, foreign affairs and trade & industry, it first blush look like leadership renewal this time has mainly been at more junior levels, due to gaps left by departing 3 heavyweight ministers Mr Teo Chee Hean, Mr Heng Swee Keat and Dr Ng Eng Hen. For instance, Dr Ng’s retirement is the basis for four of the seven changes being made at the minister level, with Mr Chan Chun Sing taking over as Minister for Defence. In turn, the Education portfolio will be taken up by Mr Desmond Lee, which opens National Development to be helmed by Mr Chee Hong Tat, who was in charge of Transport. Political newcomer Jeffrey Siow is slated to take on the Transport portfolio as Acting Minister.

Setting aside question (?) of 2nd DPM for this moment, continuity belies the breadth of changes being made to the PAP’s governing team will see leadership overhauls across every ministry. Nine new office-holders were appointed on May 21 – the highest in recent history – comprising seven new MPs and two promotions from the backbench. In explaining how he arrived at his Cabinet line-up, PM Wong said a team comprises both experienced hands & younger ministers would be the strongest one for as S'pore enters a new phase marked by greater uncertainty. A world with rising trade barriers and sharper competition necessitates due to Sao Trump having a hand on tariff. Is go to had old hands at the ministries leading S'pore’s economic agenda, he said, include Ministry of Finance, remains under PM Wong, & the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), under Deputy PM Gan Kim Yong. 

A more uncertain world would also require experienced ministers at the helm of Singapore’s foreign policy and security agencies, said PM Wong, that why Dr Vivian Balakrishnan continue as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Mr K. Shanmugam step up as Coordinating Minister for National Security while remain as Home Affairs portfolio.

M Wong to attend two-day ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur.
The summit is taking place amid an uncertain global economic and trade environment upended by United States President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs. He. Deputy PM Gan Kim Yong also a Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) with he go along to KL bo?.