Major Cabinet reshuffle on the cards next year: PM Lee

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(Hot news Today Sunday 30 April 2017)

Major Cabinet reshuffle on the cards next year: PM Lee

TODAY file photo

By  ALBERT WAI IN MANILA

Updated 10:50 AM, April 30, 2017 

MANILA — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday (April 29) that he plans to carry out a major Cabinet reshuffle next year which will see more new ministers helming their own ministries, adding that this week’s promotion of two ministers was just a “first step”. 

“I promoted ministers because they deserve to be promoted. They've shown that they are capable of more responsibilities.” Mr Lee said to Singapore media as he wrapped up a visit to Manila to attend the 30th Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) Summit.

“They have done good work and I expect them to do even more,” he added.

Mr Lee was responding to a question on why Mrs Josephine Teo and Mr Desmond Lee, who were promoted to full Ministers, were tasked with responsibilities in the Prime Minister’s Office instead of being asked to helm their own ministries.

“This one (reshuffle) is not a full set of changes, I expect to do a much bigger change next year,” said PM Lee.

“And then there will be more ministers, more changes by that time and then more new ministers will be helming their own ministries.”

The Prime Minister has previously said that he will carry out a mid-term review and make further changes, without indicating any timeline.

With effect from May 1, Mrs Teo, 48, and Mr Lee, 40, who are currently Senior Ministers of State, will join the ranks of full ministers in the Cabinet.

For the first time, Singapore will have two female full ministers, the other being Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu. 

Leaving the Ministry of Transport (MOT), Mrs Teo will continue to oversee population matters, while retaining her Manpower and Foreign Affairs portfolios in the role of Second Minister.

Mr Lee will remain in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of National Development (MND) as a Second Minister. 

PM Lee said on Saturday that as a “first step”, he asked Mrs Teo to join the Ministry of Manpower to shadow Mr Lim Swee Say.

“They've worked together for a long time so I think that should work well," he added.

Turning to Mr Lee’s promotion, PM Lee said in jest that “I've left him there (in MHA and MND) and I'm sure his Ministers, knowing that he is (now) a Minister, will give him more work to do”.

In the latest reshuffle, six other officeholders were also promoted, including four who will be appointed as Senior Ministers of State.

With the latest appointments, the Cabinet will have 22 full Ministers and nine Senior Ministers of State — the highest to date. — and a relatively large number of Ministers in the PMO and Second Ministers.

Experts noted that the changes reflected the urgency of leadership renewal as much as the growing complexity of governance.