After he is sworn in, DPM Lawrence Wong (right) will be Singapore’s fourth prime minister, succeeding PM Lee Hsien Loong. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
SINGAPORE – Singapore will have a new prime minister on May 15, with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong set to take over from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on that day.
The date for the handover was announced in a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on April 15, a key detail in Singapore’s long-planned leadership transition from the third-generation to the fourth-generation (4G) political team.
After he is sworn in at 8pm on May 15 at the Istana, DPM Wong, who entered politics 13 years ago, will be Singapore’s fourth prime minister.
In a Facebook post, PM Lee said leadership transition is a significant moment for any country.
“Lawrence and the 4G team have worked hard to gain the people’s trust, notably during the pandemic,” he said. “Through the Forward Singapore exercise, they have worked with many Singaporeans to refresh our social compact and develop the national agenda for a new generation.”
PM Lee said the 4G team is committed to keeping Singapore working well and moving ahead, and asked that Singaporeans give DPM Wong and his team their full support to jointly create a brighter future.
DPM Wong, 51, has been the presumptive next prime minister since April 2022, when he was picked by his peers as the leader of the People’s Action Party’s 4G team.
More at The Straits Times
Gan Kim Yong to become DPM in Singapore Cabinet changes
SINGAPORE: Mr Gan Kim Yong will be promoted to Deputy Prime Minister as part of a Cabinet reshuffle announced on Monday (May 13) by incoming Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Mr Gan, 65, will remain as Trade and Industry Minister and will be the Acting Prime Minister in the absence of the Prime Minister.
He will also take over as the chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore and assume responsibility for the Strategy Group within the Prime Minister's Office.
Mr Gan will be appointed to his new roles on Wednesday when Mr Wong officially takes over the leadership reins from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Current Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, 63, will continue in his role.
Mr Wong, 51, also announced other promotions and appointments on Monday, but there were no major changes to the ministers helming each ministry in this reshuffle.
For example, Mr Wong will remain at the helm of the Finance Ministry.
Speaking at a press conference at the Istana on Monday, Mr Wong said that continuity and stability are "key considerations" as the government approaches the end of its current term.
"All the ministers already have a full plate of work to see through, and some have also just rolled out new programmes in their ministries. To avoid any disruptions, I have decided to keep them in their present roles until the end of the term."
This is why he himself will remain as Finance Minister even after he becomes Prime Minister on May 15, he said.
On Mr Gan's promotion, the Prime Minister-designate said he and Mr Gan "went through the COVID baptism of fire together", and the latter was a "pillar of strength throughout".
Mr Gan's experience in international economics will help Singapore navigate the more contested global environment, he added.
For Mr Heng, Mr Wong said they entered politics in the same year in 2011 and worked together in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance.
Describing both Mr Gan and Mr Heng as experienced ministers, the incoming Prime Minister said they will "provide a steady hand" in this initial transition period, and help to mentor younger political officeholders.
"I'm glad they will be supporting me as my deputies," said Mr Wong, adding that he values their advice and counsel.
Mr Lee's deputies when he first took office at 52 in 2004 were Dr Tony Tan and Professor S Jayakumar, who were 64 and 65 respectively at the time.
More at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-cabinet-reshuffle-gan-kim-yong-promoted-dpm-lawrence-wong-prime-minister-4331501
Ah Chye won't be PM till next Wednesday, nevertheless he came back on Saturday just to pack all his things, talk about being an overly eager beaver
‘I am stepping down as PM but I am not stopping work!’: PM Lee
SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that while he is stepping down from his role soon, he will continue to remain in the Government and serve as an MP.
Singapore will have a new prime minister from May 15, when Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong takes over the role.
Noting that several people had wished him a happy retirement, PM Lee clarified in a Facebook post on May 7 that he is not retiring.
He wrote: “I am stepping down as PM but I am not stopping work! I will remain in Government, and continue serving as MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC.
“I will do whatever I can to help PM Lawrence and his team succeed.”
PM Lee said that over the past few weeks, he had received messages of appreciation and encouragement, with many sharing stories of how their lives have “improved from various government policies, and the immense pride you feel as Singaporeans”.
He added: “Nation-building is not an easy task, and we would not have been able to achieve so much over the decades without your loyal support. I am very moved to hear how many of you are giving back to your community, and contributing to our society in your own ways.”
He said he also received messages from non-Singaporeans living or working here.
Addressing them, he said: “I am glad you have found this a safe, happy country to live in, where you can find good jobs, bring up your families safely, and contribute to our economy and society.”
In a valedictory speech at the May Day Rally on May 1, PM Lee said he felt “a sense of satisfaction and completeness” as he prepared to hand over Singapore in good order to his successor.
DPM Wong, who entered politics 13 years ago, will be Singapore’s fourth prime minister. He will be sworn in at 8pm on May 15 at the Istana.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/i-am-stepping-down-as-pm-but-i-am-not-stopping-work-pm-lee
'I have done my duty': PM Lee looks back on 40 years in politics in his last major speech
In his last May Day Rally speech at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre on Wednesday (May 1), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong thanked Singaporeans, fellow Ministers, Members of Parliament and union leaders for their trust, confidence and support throughout his time serving Singapore.
"It has been my great honour to have served you, including as your PM," said Lee, who also shared that this is his 40th year in politics.
"I have strived to lead you and to govern Singapore in the way you deserve, to mobilise Singaporeans to show what we can do together."
Addressing a crowd of over 1,700 people including unionists from the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Lee, 72, said that he has also prepared a leadership team to succeed him, one that deserves the confidence and support of Singaporeans.
"As I prepare to hand over Singapore in good order to my successor, I feel a sense of satisfaction and completeness," he added.
"I have done my duty, and I am very happy that I chose this path of public service all those years ago."
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, 51, will be taking over the premiership from him in two weeks' time.
Lee also said that leading a country isn't a "one-man job", but the combined effort of a national team.
Expressing his gratitude, Lee added that he has been humbled by Singaporeans' trust, confidence and support.
"To all of you, I say a very big thank you," he said.
Lee then bowed twice before his fellow Singaporeans, visibly tearing up as he waved and smiled.
He said he will continue to support the new PM, expressing his confidence in Wong and his team.
Lee said: "I ask all Singaporeans to rally behind them and work together to make Singapore succeed, for your sake. That is our path forward to steward Singapore to the best of its ability, so that the next generation can take over a better Singapore, and in turn lead our nation onwards and upwards."
More at https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/i-have-done-my-duty-pm-lee-hsien-loong-looks-back-40-years-politics-his-last-major-speech-may-day-rally-lawrence-wong-ntuc
POI: Pinky once spotted the fashionable Professor X look when he underwent chemotherapy treatment for lyphoma back in 1993 👨🦲
LHL is even more dangerous in retirement because AFAIK, he calculated and invented the GRC system so when he took over, there would be almost zero by-elections and almost all PAP GRC MP will fear him 100% because there being almost zero chance of by election for GRC, ones political career is almost 100% over, should MP have his party membership revoked by PAP EXCO- as his removal as MP is automatically triggered with the nail on the coffin being the fact that the people's mandate shall be over ridden till the next GE, as there is no by election recourse.
I hope LHL in retirement, isn't scheming more GRC like policies in order to make his own son transition into becoming PM much easier by silencing all opposition, even from within the PAP establishment itself, even further.
"It is not a legacy I would be proud of." OUCH.
Singapore Is Facing a Dangerous World Without Lee
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to deputy Lawrence Wong on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November 2025.
Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — will need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the island’s next chapter. The world that confronts it is far more precarious than at any other time in the nation’s history, except for the upheaval caused by Singapore’s decision to break away from Malaysia in 1965.
The global landscape was then, as it is today, dangerous and uncertain. The Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union was at its peak. A nuclear missile crisis was just barely averted and much of what we call the Global South today had just emerged from the ugly grip of colonialism. Singapore, a tiny dot at the bottom of the Malayan peninsula, with no natural resources and a largely illiterate and unskilled workforce, was about to find out what it meant to strike out alone as an independent nation, without the benefit of a vast hinterland.
The first prime minister and founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, famously cried on national television when he made the announcement of the island’s separation from its neighbor, because of the difficult path he knew lay ahead. Such tears are unlikely this time around, but the small nation is entering uncharted waters yet again and Wong’s ability to navigate will be a key gauge of his leadership.
The new prime minister will have to deal with an increasingly acrimonious relationship between the US and China. Singapore has consistently said it wants to be friends with all and enemies of none, and this has helped the city-state go from a developing economy to Asia’s richest country. It has benefited from decades of globalization, a world where borders were erased and goods and services flowed freely, lifting incomes and stock market valuations.
As Beijing has cracked down on pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and imposed harsh security laws, foreign companies and talent have sought haven in Singapore. The city-state will need to manage relations between Washington and Beijing delicately, even as it seeks to calm tensions and soothe nerves on both sides.
That won’t be easy. The handover comes at a time when the US’s legitimacy has taken a hit in the Global South over the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. It has become a key focal point, not just for Asia’s Muslims in places like Indonesia and Malaysia, where the majority of citizens follow Islam, but also for citizens in Singapore who sympathize with Palestinians and have condemned the human suffering. A recent survey conducted by the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, showed that more than half of the Southeast Asians asked would now prefer to align with China over the US if forced to choose between the rivals, reversing last year’s trends.
So as Wong steps up to the seat of power, it is best he gets all the help he can. Singapore’s leadership succession is a carefully telegraphed event that’s been years in the making. Even though the 51-year-old is known to be sincere and hardworking, that won’t be enough to get him out of tricky diplomatic tussles. A clear political vision is missing, says Ian Chong, non-resident scholar at Carnegie China and a political scientist at the National University of Singapore. “We know the hobbies of the new prime minister, but we don’t know what he has planned for the country,” he told me. “It’s a bit strange that the person taking over, and has had ample time to lay out a path, has yet to do so. Perhaps what that tells is you that no one in the government knows yet.” Wong’s guitar skills have made him a favorite on social media, but are unlikely to come in that handy as he takes on the top job.
It is not clear yet whether Lee, like his father before him, will serve as a minister mentor in Wong’s cabinet. It would certainly be useful to have his knowledge and expertise, as well as the relationships he has built as a global statesman of more than two decades. But the new prime minister should also be ready to listen to fresh ideas, not just from his own overwhelmingly dominant People’s Action Party, but also from the opposition, including leaders like lawyer and author Pritam Singh, who have proposed novel ways to address pressing domestic issues like the income gap, as well as gender disparities in the workplace.
It is not clear yet whether Lee, like his father before him, will serve as a minister mentor in Wong’s cabinet. It would certainly be useful to have his knowledge and expertise, as well as the relationships he has built as a global statesman of more than two decades. But the new prime minister should also be ready to listen to fresh ideas, not just from his own overwhelmingly dominant People’s Action Party, but also from the opposition, including leaders like lawyer and author Pritam Singh, who have proposed novel ways to address pressing domestic issues like the income gap, as well as gender disparities in the workplace.
These are not insurmountable challenges, but they require a deftness in managing both foreign policy and the domestic agenda. Singapore has always managed to stand out as the little country that could. The new leader has big shoes to fill.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-04-15/singapore-is-facing-a-dangerous-world-without-lee
新加坡副总理兼财政部长黄循财将在5月15日正式宣誓就任新加坡第四任总理。
政坛上的黄循财以才思敏捷、沟通有效著称,获得绝大多数内阁成员的支持,以及人民行动党议员的认可。政坛以外的黄循财又是一个怎样的人?
李显龙总理早于2022年4月16日确认黄循财为第四代领军人物,我们当时制作了这个视频。一起认识新加坡第四任总理黄循财。
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/singapore/story20220415-1263115
Can't believe this clown who once "advised" us to wear a mask only if we are feeling unwell is going to take helm. Going forward, I am therefore rather doubtful that he has our best interests at heart hmmm
Cabinet reshuffle could take place in coming weeks; several names mooted as possible DPMs
SINGAPORE: A new Cabinet could be sworn in along with Mr Lawrence Wong when he takes over as Singapore's fourth Prime Minister on May 15.
That's the view of some political observers who said a Cabinet reshuffle could be announced in advance, before Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong officially hands over to Mr Wong, his current deputy.
There are precedents for this in past leadership successions, noted political observer Inderjit Singh, a former Member of Parliament.
In 1990, for instance, the new Cabinet was announced more than a month before Mr Goh Chok Tong became the Prime Minister. Similarly in 2004, a reshuffle was announced two days before Mr Lee Hsien Loong succeeded Mr Goh.
“I expect the Cabinet reshuffle to happen before or when (Mr Wong) takes over as PM on May 15,” said Mr Singh, who was an MP when Mr Lee became the Prime Minister.
This was a view shared by Assistant Professor Elvin Ong from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Department of Political Science.
“On May 15, we will definitely be looking forward to the swearing-in of the rest of the Cabinet as well,” he said.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER CANDIDATES
With Mr Wong set to become Prime Minister, political observers said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung could be suitable candidates to replace him as Deputy Prime Minister.
Rather than having two new names, current Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat could well retain his position in Mr Wong’s new Cabinet, said Dr Leong Chan-Hoong, a senior fellow for social cohesion research at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University.
“DPM Heng Swee Keat has certainly done a great job to oversee economic challenges, I won’t be surprised if he remains as DPM who oversees economic development even after the Cabinet reshuffle,” he added.
Defence is also important for Singapore, and whoever succeeds Mr Wong as Deputy Prime Minister will likely have experience in that area, said independent political observer Felix Tan.
He suggested that Mr Chan could be a potential candidate, having served in the Singapore Armed Forces from 1987 to 2011 before joining politics.
Asst Prof Ong, however, said there has been speculation about Mr Shanmugam becoming a Deputy Prime Minister in charge of security.
He noted that Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean previously served as Deputy Prime Minister.
“Either Senior Minister or Deputy Prime Minister - I think Minister Shanmugam would be an appropriate candidate," said Asst Prof Ong.
Mr Singh, the former MP, said that Mr Shanmugam would be a good candidate due to his links to both the 3G and the 4G leadership.
“It is useful to have some continuity in the new team, and Mr Shanmugam can be that person providing the bridge,” he said.
Mr Ong could also be in the running for Deputy Prime Minister because he worked closely with Mr Wong on the COVID-19 task force, said Asst Prof Ong.
Assuming they had a good working relationship, Mr Ong would be an “appropriate candidate” for the role, he added.
It would also be interesting to see which senior ministers step down and which junior ministers get promoted, the analysts said.
Asst Prof Ong highlighted Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen as being among the longest-serving ministers in the Cabinet.
“If there’s any stepping down, we would expect them to be the ones to step down … I think those are the two most likely ones,” he said.
WHAT WILL PM LEE DO NEXT?
Mr Lee will most likely stay in Cabinet and play the role of a mentor to younger MPs and political office holders, the analysts said.
“We can expect Mr Lee to play an important role in the new Cabinet, perhaps as a Minister Mentor,” said Mr Singh.
Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was appointed Senior Minister in 1990 when Mr Goh took over as Prime Minister. When Mr Goh was named a Senior Minister in 2004, the late Mr Lee then took on the role of Minister Mentor.
"I think our leaders are pragmatic, they don’t just hand over and leave the scene,” Mr Singh added.
“Neither do the new leaders want to lose the expertise of the previous leadership immediately after taking over.”
Dr Gillian Koh, senior fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), believes that Mr Lee will become Senior Minister.
“He still has important social capital among regional and global leaders that Singapore would do well to tap,” she said.
In an increasingly uncertain geopolitical climate, it would be important for Mr Lee to provide a guiding hand to the new leadership team, Dr Leong added.
“It would be good to have somebody who is more senior and more experienced in the Cabinet as a Senior Minister or as a Minister Mentor and to give advice to the younger ministers,” he said.
“Having PM Lee on board … it will be for the benefit of the 4G and as well as Singaporeans.”
Dr Tan said Mr Lee will remain a reliable and significant person in parliament.
“He’s not going to retire from politics completely anyway,” he said. “He’s just passing the baton over.”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/lawrence-wong-handover-cabinet-reshuffle-swearing-4266721
梁婆婆万岁万岁万万岁!!!!