Politics
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to serve as Senior Minister after stepping down in May
Singapore’s PM Lee Hsien Loong to remain in Cabinet as senior minister after stepping down, confirmed Deputy PM Lawrence Wong, who will be sworn in as the city state’s fourth PM on May 15.
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is set to step down next month, will continue to play a pivotal role in the Singapore government as a senior minister.
This decision was confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is poised to succeed Lee as the nation’s fourth Prime Minister.
“I have asked Mr Lee Hsien Loong to continue serving in the Cabinet as a senior minister, and I am glad that he has agreed to do so,” said Wong during a press interaction.
This announcement follows closely on the heels of news that Wong will be officially sworn in as Prime Minister on 15 May.
Wong emphasized the importance of maintaining stability and continuity within the Cabinet, indicating that there will not be significant changes immediately, as the new Cabinet is sworn in.
“It has never been the case that when there is a leadership transition, all the older ministers stepped down at the same time,” Wong explained.
“Instead, they continued to contribute in different ways, while making room for the younger ones to step up.”
The current Senior Minister, Teo Chee Hean, along with other ministers, will largely continue in their existing roles.
Wong noted that he is in discussions with them regarding their preferences and is also considering promotions and possibly integrating a few backbenchers to bolster the team.
The final Cabinet lineup will be unveiled shortly before the swearing-in ceremony.
Looking ahead, Wong acknowledged that while immediate changes to the Cabinet might be minimal, more significant adjustments could be expected after the next General Election, which must occur before November 2025.
He expressed an ongoing effort to scout for new candidates who show promise for political office to “renew and strengthen the team with new members.”
Currently, there has been little evidence of new faces in the People’s Action Party (PAP), given the outgoing 3G parliamentarians.
The Deputy Prime Minister articulated his dual priorities of continuity and change. “I want continuity because we should build on what we have today,” he said.
“But I also want change because we should reexamine and refresh our current approaches and be prepared to break new ground in order to adopt more effectively to a rapidly changing environment.”
Amidst these transitions, Wong is focused on addressing immediate concerns such as the economy, jobs, and cost of living, and he aims to take concrete steps towards the national objectives outlined in the Forward Singapore feedback initiative.
As speculation about the timing of the next General Election grows, sources suggest it might be strategically held in September, potentially aligning with cash handouts from Budget 2024 and before major elections in the United States and the United Kingdom in November.
However, Wong maintained that the PAP is continually preparing, stating, “The work to prepare for the next GE starts the day after the last election. We have to consistently tend the ground, attend to the needs of residents, and strive to win over their hearts and minds.”
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No where else in the civilised world of politics this would be legal ..
SM??? Hahaha, more like SM for ensuring that the seat warmer vacate the “gilded guarded”seat with” his”hengsweekiat move”
Wah Lau still wants to collect SM paycheck, sio liaw! Thought stepdowning means becoming just an MP. Can donate your money away since you also carry many other govt appointments.
Did they also take a vote if they agree that LHL stay as SM?
Glad he stays as SM. Experts around the world acknowledged his contribution and claimed the void he left in the world stage, but only dumbies here down talk him. You think who should I believe?
It is quite likely that a cabinet reshuffle will be conducted once Lawrence Wong ascended to the post of the PM and the important thing that Lawrence Wong will need to appoint is another deputy as Heng SK is likely not to stay long in the cabinet due to the health problem. The choice for the post of the deputy PM is likely to education minister, MG(NS) Chan CS as there Desmond Lee seemed to be quite in a fix with the high property prices.
This white termite colony just love SM…lol.
No wonder Singapore economy plunges.
What does a SM without a portfolio do in the Cabinet?
Does he report to the PM?
Is his job being appraised by the PM?
Uniquely undemocratic Singapore system!
IF LW still needs LHL as SM in his cabinet, drawing tax payer’s monies speaks volumes of his competence as the next PM. LW for on ce break tradition and con fine LHL to the back seat as an MP till next GE. Show Singaporeans you are in charge.
Well, here we go again.
In any case, who is LW warming the seat for next?
Likely even over 2030 ,where many losers here would not even be here but at Mandai!😆😆😆🤣🤣🤣😆😆😆😆
Singapore needs PM Lee! Without him, we will all sink! Understand?
I approved your million$ salary so you can approve my continual million$ salary. Politics 101.
Was this appointment of current PM as SM a prerequisite for him to step down? Why was Lawless Wong the chosen one? Is it because he is incompetent and easily manipulated? Where in the corporate world or world politics that after years of understudy and on the job training, the incoming still needs the outgoing to hold his hand as advisor or SM? To me this only happen in family business or in a dictatorship country. This only shows how incompetent this man is. Or is it that in his so call years of understudy and on the job training,… Read more »
free loaders anyone? tsk tsk tsk
same white wine from the same bottle will taste the same. LOL
WE need solutions, not price increase. Enough is Enough!!!
VTO !!!
who are the free loaders? tsk tsk tsk
This move may backfire for PAP at the next GE.
The FamiLee should just disappear from SG politics.
We’ve had ENOUGH.
Why not take their bil$ , buy an island somewhere and enjoy their retirement and the rest of their lives away from here…
Becoming like nkorea..from father to son to….
LHL wants to continue steering the PAP and setting the stage for his son to take the throne eventually..
So perhaps what many had guessed may be true, that LW is just the seat warmer for LHL ‘s princeling..
So SGs, do your duty come next GE….
Ha? Still earn not enuf after 20 over years on the throne ah? If one year several million plus other unseen unknown benefits, already make 60 over millions of dollars still want to untung some more as senile minister? How long more, how much more do we taxpayers to pay this puppet master? Is lawrence wrong going to be seen as the puppet after 15 May?
No major changes . Same old same old style.
No one leaves till death do them part…all the aging oldfart ministars will stick around too..paid mil$ to keep the PAP secrets intact.
Silence dont come cheap..
LW should take the radical approach by removing the ESM and SMs altogether to show the the 4G has come of age. At best LHL should served as SM for a specific term only 3 years perhaps. It’s time to cut the apron strings which with have diminishing value given the pace of technological advances. They have become supernumeraries with high pay. Afterall their pension benefits is already out of this world. No?????? Come on show the world the 4G has the gumption to do the right thing.
Tharman around. Loong poking his nose, his shadow even appear at Night.
All these PAP trademarks. To protect hidden briberies, dark dark secrets.
As long as Sheeps vote PAP – NO SKELTONS REVEALED, ALL DARK SECRETS will NOT see Sunlight.
As an honourable public servant holding high political office appointment
as PM, he must be publicly transparent in using his FULL given NAME in
chinese for all to know and address correctly and not be shy about it.
Not just Lawrence Wong as there are many “Lawrence Wongs” in
circulation.
Perhaps it is time to mandate a policy that all Singapore politicians
disclose and use their full vernacular name as stated in their NRIC so
as to be respected and to not be confused with someone else.
Laolan is non starter to lead the country.
He regards his boss as giant who has unwittingly left a full bucket of sh*t for him to clean up and needs to be hand hold
Wait till laolan meets the real giants, xjp, pustin and bideng. He will be dwarfed by them.
Stand tall on your own lah.
We oredy knew lah…SM…later MM…
If not dead by then, EM….??
Why cannot let go and let LW & the ministers govern in their own style .
Why must control until like that?
Does SG belong to you eh LHL?
The next PM and ministers dont need your “handholding” LHL….they just dare not speak up..
Irritating to the core!
Laolan Wong, don’t bluff lah you asked him to serve on as SM.
He is the one who told you to say that right? We all know already your Ah Gua boss cannot stay away from dictating us plus need to find other loopholes for income mah. The only time he really give up is like his father, when inside the box!
LHL, if he wants to win some points with us lowly Singaporeans should just announce that he will not take any salary as Senior Minister. His Senior Minister salary should either be returned to the Treasury or be donated to various charities.
He can, however, keep the MP salary.
But, of course he (LHL) will do no such thing. Money is still money; no matter how much he has already.
And this will not sit welll with many Singaporeans
Why Old Goat isn’t Minister Mentor? Why is Loong Sr Minister.
The answer : to MAKE BLOODY SURE Laolan Wong FOLLOW Loong instructions.
Come on. PAP Politics are antique – Laolan Wong is NOT his own man.
Loong is still the de facto PM.
Don’t believe all LJ PAP stories. All recycled. All cut and paste
, … drawing a “wage” until his very last breath. Like father like son indeed !!!
C’mon, in all seriousness, … did anyone expected him to just disappear into the SillyPore sunset !!!
He needs to be around, … there’s all of them skeletons that needs to be kept in their place, and Pandora’s boxes needed to be kept shut too !!!
Plus, … he’ll continue to pull all of the strings and cash in on all of them blank cheques too !!!
Lee dynasty. Fake democracy. Same like last time. Singapore like North Korea.
Times have changed LW. So having LHL as a Senior Minister will cost the PAP further loss of votes as he was never popular with the citizens. This is good news for the Opposition.
I think I’ve seen this before. How about saving taxpayers a lot of money and just becoming an MP?
Isn’t Mdm Ho Ching rich enough to support the both of them for several lifetimes?
I am so happy that PM Lee is going to stay with us. Mr Lee has got a lot of experience. His relationship with other ASEAN leaders are also good. We really need him to help Singapore. I am happy to see that he continues to selflessly serve Singapore. He has sacrificed a lot for the country! Cheers to PM Lee!
It die than buy 4d mah .
To VOTE PAP nothing gonna change.
To vote PAP, SG is to commit suicide, and the PAP quicken DEATHS of Sheeps and SG.
Old the same old shit over and over again and expect progress from old tricks. Where else in the world expand, progress based on old tricks and old shit. Look at Microsoft the world’s biggest. Steve Balmer gone. Uncle Bill gone, set up his HUGE Foundation, focus on BIG PHILANTHROPY projects TO GIVE BACK to the world. WAS HE SENIOR MD at Microsoft? Scott Mackenzie, the ex wife of Jeff Bezos – where is she. What did she do COMPARED with Hu Li Jing, FOXY Engineer LOOSER, Squanderer of Millions of SG tax payers money. And shes KNOWN to Eff… Read more »
So LW still needs a baby sitter. But don’t forget this baby sitter is paid in $million!
Why LW needs the people to work with him why not he works for the people!
Not many people in SG are paid in $million , with taxpayers money!
One by one lap dog starts to thank and heap drones of accolades to their master.
As if pinky toiled days and nights for 20 years for sinkies free of charge