Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing is named as Singapore's Minister of Trade and Industry (Source: straitstimes.com) Singapore (VNA) - Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on April 24 reshuffled his cabinet, naming one of his potential successors, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing, as Minister of Trade and Industry.
Chan, 48, is one of three potential successors touted by Singapore's media and political analysts, alongside Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat and Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung.
Chan will take on duties currently shared by Lim Hng Kiang (in charge of trade), who will retire, and S. Iswaran (in charge of industry) who will become the new Minister for Communications and Information, replacing Yaacob Ibrahim who will also retire.
Meanwhile, Josephine Teo, who is now Second Minister of Manpower, was appointed as new Minister of Manpower in replacement of Lim Swee Say who will step down after three years in the post.
Minister for Education Ng Chee Meng was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Secretary General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC).
With this change, Ong Ye Kung will remain Minister for Education with an expanded portfolio overseeing the entire ministry, from higher education and skills previously. He will relinquish his job as Second Minister for Defence.
Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat will also assist the Prime Minister on matters related to the National Research Foundation - a research and development arm of the Prime Minister's Office.
All changes will take effect from May 1. Overall the new Singaporean Cabinet will be slightly more youthful as its average age will be 55, down from the current 56. It will also be a trimmer Cabinet, with 19 members, down from the current 21.-VNA
Chan, 48, is one of three potential successors touted by Singapore's media and political analysts, alongside Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat and Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung.
Chan will take on duties currently shared by Lim Hng Kiang (in charge of trade), who will retire, and S. Iswaran (in charge of industry) who will become the new Minister for Communications and Information, replacing Yaacob Ibrahim who will also retire.
Meanwhile, Josephine Teo, who is now Second Minister of Manpower, was appointed as new Minister of Manpower in replacement of Lim Swee Say who will step down after three years in the post.
Minister for Education Ng Chee Meng was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Secretary General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC).
With this change, Ong Ye Kung will remain Minister for Education with an expanded portfolio overseeing the entire ministry, from higher education and skills previously. He will relinquish his job as Second Minister for Defence.
Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat will also assist the Prime Minister on matters related to the National Research Foundation - a research and development arm of the Prime Minister's Office.
All changes will take effect from May 1. Overall the new Singaporean Cabinet will be slightly more youthful as its average age will be 55, down from the current 56. It will also be a trimmer Cabinet, with 19 members, down from the current 21.-VNA
VNA
