May 22, 2025
SINGAPORE – A core team of four senior leaders and the appointment of two new and younger ministers are part of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s new Cabinet “to take Singapore forward in these uncertain and turbulent times”, he said.
On May 21, PM Wong announced his Cabinet for the new term of government, about two weeks after he received a strong mandate from Singaporeans at the polls.
“With your strong support, I have done my utmost to assemble the strongest team I could for Singapore,” he said at a press conference at the National Press Centre.
Three existing ministers, Mr K. Shanmugam, Mr Chan Chun Sing and Mr Ong Ye Kung, will be taking on coordinating minister roles, while Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong will remain as PM Wong’s No. 2 – making up the team of four senior leaders.
Two new MPs and former public servants, Mr David Neo and Mr Jeffrey Siow, have been appointed as acting ministers.
This is PM Wong’s first Cabinet reshuffle after a general election. He had led his PAP team to win 65.57 per cent of the nationwide vote share at the polls on May 3. PM Wong had made few changes in his first reshuffle in May 2024 after taking on the role of head of government.
The latest changes largely involve the younger and newer office-holders and the social and security portfolios, while the economic portfolios were mostly kept unchanged. All ministries saw at least one change in personnel.
Overall, four existing office-holders will be promoted: Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim, Mr Murali Pillai, Ms Sun Xueling and Mr Baey Yam Keng.
Nine new office-holders will be appointed: Mr Neo, Mr Siow, Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, Ms Jasmin Lau, Mr Goh Pei Ming, Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Ms Goh Hanyan and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi.
Six office-holders retired from Cabinet and politics: Mr Heng Swee Keat, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Dr Maliki Osman, Mr Heng Chee How and Dr Amy Khor.
PM Wong said that most of the ministers who lead Singapore’s economic agenda will be kept in their current roles during this critical period.
“We are operating in a changed world with rising trade barriers, sharper competition and greater uncertainty, and we need experienced hands at the helm,” he said. He will continue to helm the Finance Ministry.
The new Cabinet changes will be effective from May 23, when most of the new political office-holders will be sworn in.
There will be only one deputy prime minister in this Cabinet. This departs from tradition, as PM Wong’s predecessors each had two after their first elections as prime minister.
Asked about this, PM Wong said: “For now, I have a solid team behind me. Gan Kim Yong is my deputy prime minister, and I’ve appointed three coordinating ministers. So that’s four senior leaders in my Cabinet.
“They are part of the core team to assist me, to advise me, and also to provide guidance and mentorship to the new and younger ministers.”
DPM Gan will be Acting Prime Minister in his absence, PM Wong added. If both men are not around, one of the coordinating ministers will take that role.
“I think that’s a good configuration for now, and of course, along the way, I may make further adjustments where needed,” said PM Wong.
His Cabinet’s first priority will be to secure Singapore’s position in the new global environment and to advance the nation’s interests overseas.
It will also steer Singapore through economic uncertainties and changes, he said.
“It’s with this in mind that… I’ve kept most of the experienced ministers in the core areas like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the economic ministries, but where there are gaps, then obviously I will have to field and move ministers around,” he said.
Key changes to the Cabinet
The three coordinating ministers will look after three areas – national security, public services and social policies.
Mr Shanmugam will take on the national security portfolio that was previously helmed by Senior Minister Teo.
Mr Shanmugam will also remain Minister for Home Affairs but relinquish his role as Minister for Law to Mr Edwin Tong, who is currently Second Minister for Law.
Mr Chan will look after public services, a new portfolio created in this reshuffle that will look at bringing together public services in a more accessible and integrated manner. This includes coordinating a wide range of different amenities and facilities in the new housing estates.
Mr Chan will also take on the role of Minister for Defence, filling the gap left by the retired Dr Ng. He will relinquish his education portfolio.
Mr Ong will be the one to coordinate and oversee efforts in reviewing and updating social policies.
The role was last held by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was then senior minister.
Mr Ong will continue as Minister for Health, as per his request to oversee the major initiatives started in the last term such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG, said PM Wong.
GRAPHICS: THE STRAITS TIMES
Among the economic portfolios, DPM Gan will continue as Minister for Trade and Industry, supported by Ms Grace Fu, who will continue as Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations on top of her sustainability and environment portfolio.
Dr Tan See Leng, who is currently Second Minister at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, will be appointed to a new role – Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology. He will remain as Minister for Manpower.
PM Wong said science and technology is a key driver of growth while energy, especially clean energy, will be an important part of this government’s agenda.
Mrs Josephine Teo will continue as Minister for Digital Development and Information and as Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation initiative.
Newly elected Jalan Kayu MP Ng Chee Meng, who was previously a minister before he lost in the 2020 General Election, had requested not to be offered a position in government to focus on his work as secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress and in Jalan Kayu.
PM Wong said on May 21 that the NTUC secretary-general has traditionally held a position in the Cabinet, but he respected Mr Ng’s wishes.
“But to be clear, this is a temporary arrangement, and I look forward to having the labour chief being part of the Cabinet before too long,” he said.
Across the security portfolios, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will continue as Minister for Foreign Affairs.
While Mr Shanmugam continues at the Home Affairs Ministry, Mr Tong will be appointed second minister, allowing him to gain experience and “prepare him to assume greater responsibilities in due course”, said PM Wong.
In the social portfolios, Mr Desmond Lee will assume the role of Minister for Education, relinquishing his national development portfolio. He will continue as Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration.
The newly elected Mr Neo, a former chief of army, will be Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, taking over from Mr Tong. Mr Neo will also be Senior Minister of State for Education.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli will continue as Minister for Social and Family Development, but relinquish his appointment as Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.
PM Wong said he had discussed it with Mr Masagos and agreed that it was time for a new generation of leaders to take over the portfolio.
Prof Faishal, who is a minister of state, will be promoted to senior minister of state and assume the role of Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.
Mr Chee Hong Tat will take over as Minister for National Development.
His Transport Ministry portfolio will be covered by new MP Mr Siow, who will be acting minister. Mr Siow will also be Senior Minister of State for Finance.
Promotions and new political office-holders
There are four promotions among existing office-holders.
Prof Faishal, Mr Murali and Ms Sun will be promoted to senior ministers of state. They are now ministers of state.
Mr Baey, who is a senior parliamentary secretary, will be minister of state. He will also take on the role of Mayor for the North East District.
Among the nine new political office-holders, seven are newly elected MPs.
Two are backbenchers – third-term MP Mr Choo will be Minister of State for Defence, and second-term MP Mr Zhulkarnain will be Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Social and Family Development from Feb 1, 2026.
Mr Neo and Mr Siow have been given the most senior appointments among the new faces as acting ministers and senior ministers of state.
Mr Dinesh, former chief of the Agency for Integrated Care, will be Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth as well as for Manpower.
He will also take on the role of Mayor for the South East District that was previously held by Mr Fahmi Aliman, who did not stand for re-election.
Ms Lau, who was deputy secretary of policy at the Health Ministry, will be Minister of State for Digital Development and Information as well as Education.
Mr Goh, former chief of staff – joint staff in the Singapore Armed Forces, will be Minister of State for Home Affairs as well as Social and Family Development.
Ms Goh, a former ministry director, will be Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth as well as Sustainability and the Environment.
Dr Syed Harun, a psychiatrist, will be Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and for National Development. He will assume his roles from Oct 1, 2025.
GRAPHICS: THE STRAITS TIMES
The latest reshuffle will see new office-holders across all ministries.
“I’m doing this to give younger leaders more experience and exposure across different areas of government so as to prepare them for greater responsibilities in the future,” said PM Wong.
The team is also slightly bigger than before as it is in transition, he said. There are 40 political office-holders, up from 37 previously.
PM Wong said he expects to make further adjustments in one or two years, when more of the junior office-holders are ready to step up.
He thanked the retiring office-holders for their years of contribution and service.
While much has been said already about the four retiring ministers, PM Wong highlighted Mr Heng Chee How and Dr Khor, who had both been mayors and held positions as minister of state and senior minister of state across different ministries. Mr Heng had also contributed to the NTUC.
“They never sought credit or fanfare… A big thank you to Chee How and Amy,” he said.
In a Facebook post, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he would continue to support PM Wong in his role and was confident that Singapore would grow from strength to strength under his leadership.
“There is a good balance of experience and fresh perspectives, and progress in leadership renewal,” he said of the new Cabinet line-up.
- Goh Yan Han is political correspondent at The Straits Times. She writes Unpacked, a weekly newsletter on Singapore politics and policy.