Changes to Cabinet and Other Appointments (Jul 2012)

The Prime Minister will make several changes to Cabinet and other appointments, effective from 1 Aug 2012 and further changes effective from 1 Nov 2012 when the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts are restructured to form three new Ministries: the Ministry of Social and Family Development; the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth; and the Ministry of Communications and Information. (See separate Press Statement on the new ministries)

The portfolios of the Cabinet members and other office holders with effect from 1 Aug 2012 and 1 Nov 2012 are given in Annexes A and B respectively. The changes are summarised below. Changes whose dates are not explicitly indicated will take effect on 1 Aug 2012.

Changes to Ministerial Appointments

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam will relinquish his appointment as Minister for Manpower. He will remain as DPM and Minister for Finance and Chairman, Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew will relinquish his appointment as 2nd Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Mr S Iswaran will remain in his current appointments. In MTI, he will have specific responsibility for industry related research and development, energy and tourism, while continuing to assist Mr Lim Hng Kiang in other areas of MTI’s work.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien will be promoted to full Minister. She will become Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, 2nd Minister for the Environment and Water Resources and 2nd Minister for Foreign Affairs. She will also assist DPM Teo Chee Hean on population matters.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim will become the Minister for Communications and Information on 1 Nov 2012. He will continue to be in charge of Muslim Affairs.

Appointment as Ag Minister/Promotion to Senior Minister of State

Mr Chan Chun Sing, BG(NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Mr Lawrence Wong, Mr Lee Yi Shyan and Mr Masagos Zulkifli will be promoted to Senior Ministers of State (SMS).

Mr Chan Chun Sing will relinquish his appointment in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, and be appointed as SMS in the Ministry of Defence concurrent with his existing appointment as Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports. He will become the Acting Minister for Social and Family Development when the Ministry of Social and Family Development is established on 1 Nov 2012.

BG(NS) Tan Chuan-Jin will become the Acting Minister for Manpower and SMS in the Ministry of National Development.

Mr Lawrence Wong will relinquish his appointment in the Ministry of Defence and be appointed SMS in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. He will continue as SMS in the Ministry of Education until 1 Nov 2012, when he becomes the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and SMS in the Ministry of Communications and Information.

Mr Lee Yi Shyan and Mr Masagos Zulkifli will remain in their respective Ministries.

Ms Indranee Rajah will be appointed SMS in the Ministries of Law and Education with effect from 1 Nov 2012. This is a new appointment.

Posting of Minister of State

Dr Amy Khor will be appointed the Minister of State in the Ministry of Manpower, concurrent with her present appointment as Minister of State in the Ministry of Health. She will also remain as the Mayor of South West CDC.

Mdm Halimah Yacob will be appointed the Minister of State in the Ministry of Social and Family Development with effect from 1 Nov 2012.

Posting of Senior Parliamentary Secretaries

Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong will be posted to the new Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth as Senior Parliamentary Secretary on 1 Nov 2012. He will concurrently be the Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mayor of Central CDC.

Ms Sim Ann will relinquish her appointment in the Ministry of Law, and be appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Information, on 1 Nov 2012. She will continue as the Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education.

Appointment of New Parliamentary Secretary

A/P Muhammad Faishal bin Ibrahim will be appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministries of Health and Transport.

20120731 Annex B pdf (pdf, 215.77KB)