Singapore cabinet changes show PM Lawrence Wong's consultative approach
Singapore Prime Minister
Lawrence Wong spoke at length about seeking experience and stability amid uncertain times as he revealed his new cabinet line-up on Wednesday, the changes he made to his team may signal a receptiveness to the people's mandate.
Two weeks after his party's decisive win at the
general election , Wong was expected to announce shifts to replace retiring ministers such as defence chief Ng Eng Hen, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.
Among the changes unveiled by Wong, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing will fill the defence spot, and two newly elected faces, former senior civil servant Jeffrey Siow and ex-chief of army David Neo, will become acting ministers for transport and culture, respectively. The appointments will come into effect on Friday.
While analysts pointed out that Wong had selected individuals with prior experience in their sectors to fill gaps, some argued that Wong's omissions and portfolio shifts were telling of the weight he placed on electoral success.
In particular, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, whose team narrowly defeated their Workers' Party (WP) opponents in Tampines by 52.02 per cent of the vote, will give up his role to Minister of State for Home Affairs Faishal Ibrahim, who will be acting minister.
Meanwhile, former minister Ng Chee Meng, who edged out his WP opponent by some 800 votes in the single-seat ward of Jalan Kayu and has been at the centre of several controversies since the election, was left out of Wong's line-up.
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