In a much anticipated announcement, which comes 2 full weeks since the upset victory by the ruling PAP party at GE2015, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has unveiled his new Cabinet line up, which sees a swop in portfolios for many existing ministers and the injection of relatively new faces into key positions.
In total, there will be 20 Cabinet members, an increase from 19.
Among the existing Ministers, those with a change of portfolio include Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (Foreign Affairs), Mr K Shanmugam (Home Affairs), Mr Heng Swee Keat (Finance), Mr Lawrence Wong (National Development) and Mr Masagos Zulkifli (Environment and Water Resources). Ms Grace Fu will head the Culture, Community and Youth Ministry. Mr Chan Chun Sing, who remains a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, will take over Mr Gan Kim Yong as Party Whip.
Those new to the Cabinet are Acting Ministers Ng Chee Meng (MOE, Schools) and Ong Ye Kung (MOE, Higher Education and Skills. New office holders at Minister of State and Parliamentary Secretary level are Mr Chee Hong Tat, Koh Poh Koon, Dr Janil Puthucheary, Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr Amrin Amin.
The full line-up here:
PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
Mr Lee Hsien Loong - Prime Minister
Mr Teo Chee Hean - Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam - Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies
Mr Chan Chun Sing - Minister, PMO
Mr Heng Chee How, Mrs Josephine Teo - Senior Minister of State
Mr Sam Tan - Minister of State
DEFENCE
Dr Ng Eng Hen - Minister
Dr Maliki Osman, Mr Ong Ye Kung - Senior Minister of State
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan - Minister
Mrs Josephine Teo, Dr Maliki Osman - Senior Minister of State
HOME AFFAIRS
Mr K Shanmugam - Minister
Mr Desmond Lee - Senior Minister of State
Mr Amrin Amin - Parliamentary Secretary
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Mr Lim Hng Kiang - Minister (Trade)
Mr S Iswaran - Minister (Industry)
Dr Koh Poh Koon - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016
Ms Low Yen Ling - Parliamentary Secretary
FINANCE
Mr Heng Swee Keat - Minister
Ms Indranee Rajah, Ms Sim Ann - Senior Minister of State
MANPOWER
Mr Lim Swee Say - Minister
Mr Teo Ser Luck, Mr Sam Tan - Minister of State
TRANSPORT
Mr Khaw Boon Wan - Minister
Mrs Josephine Teo, Mr Ng Chee Meng - Senior Minister of State
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr Lawrence Wong - Minister
Mr Desmond Lee - Senior Minister of State
Dr Koh Poh Koon - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016
COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim - Minister
Mr Chee Hong Tat - Minister of State
Dr Janil Puthucheary - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016
ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES
Mr Masagos Zulkifil - Minister
Dr Amy Khor - Senior Minister of State
LAW
Mr K Shanmugam - Minister
Ms Indranee Rajah - Senior Minister of State
HEALTH
Mr Gan Kim Yong - Minister
Dr Amy Khor - Senior Minister of State
Dr Lam Pin Min, Mr Chee Hong Tat - Minister of State
EDUCATION
Mr Ng Chee Meng - Acting Minister (Schools)
Mr Ong Ye Kung - Acting Minister (Higher Education and Skills)
Dr Janil Puthucheary - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016
Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Ms Low Yen Ling - Parliamentary Secretary
SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin - Minister
Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim - Parliamentary Secretary
CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND YOUTH
Ms Grace Fu - Minister
Ms Sim Ann - Senior Minister of State
Mr Baey Yam Keng - Parliamentary Secretary
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