PM Lee reshuffles Cabinet as part of continuing leadership renewal

PM Lee reshuffles Cabinet as part of continuing leadership renewal
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 26 March 2009 1802 hrs

SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has announced several changes to the Cabinet and other appointments, as part of continuing leadership renewal and testing out of younger office holders for broader responsibilities.

Among the major changes is the appointment of the country's first full-fledged woman minister.

Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean will be promoted to Deputy Prime Minister with effect from April 1. He will be one of two deputy prime ministers alongside veteran Wong Kan Seng, who is concurrently the Home Affairs Minister.

Mr Teo will continue as Minister for Defence, and be the acting prime minister in the absence of the prime minister.

Professor S Jayakumar will relinquish his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister, and will hold the post of Senior Minister in the Prime Minister's Office alongside Mr Goh Chok Tong. Professor Jayakumar will also continue as Co-ordinating Minister for National Security.

Mr Gan Kim Yong will be appointed Manpower Minister. He is currently the Acting Minister.

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua will hold the post of Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. She will concurrently serve as Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Transport.

The last time there was a woman minister in Cabinet was 1991 when Dr Seet Ai Mee became Acting Minister for Community Development. However, she lost her seat that year when she was not returned to Parliament in the 1991 elections.

Senior Minister of State Lui Tuck Yew will be appointed as Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts. He will relinquish his appointment in the Education Ministry.

Dr Lee Boon Yang will relinquish his appointment as Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts and retire from the government.

Since being appointed a Parliamentary Secretary in 1985, Dr Lee has served in many portfolios including Environment, Trade and Industry, Finance, Home Affairs, National Development, Defence, and Manpower, before becoming Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts in 2003.

The prime minister thanked Dr Lee for his many years of service and contributions to the government and the nation.

In changes to the posts of Ministers of State, Mr S Iswaran will be appointed Senior Minister of State in the Education Ministry, in addition to his current post as Senior Minister of State in the Trade and Industry Ministry.

Mr Lee Yi Shyan takes on the role of Minister of State for Manpower, in addition to his present post as Minister of State for Trade and Industry.

Mr Sam Tan will be appointed as Parliamentary Secretary in the Trade and Industry Ministry and Information, Communications and the Arts Ministry. His appointment takes effect on July 1.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports Teo Ser Luck will be appointed as Mayor of North East Community Development Council with effect from May 31.

The current mayor, Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, will relinquish his appointment when his current three-year term ends on May 30. He will continue as Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. - CNA /ls

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