PM Lee unveils new Cabinet of 20 ministers

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced Singapore's new Cabinet on Monday (Sept 28).

Mr Teo Chee Hean and Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam continue to be Deputy Prime Ministers, but they are also appointed as Coordinating Ministers, who will oversee a handful of related Ministries.

DPM Teo will be Coordinating Minister for National Security. He relinquishes his role as Minister for Home Affairs.

DPM Tharman will be Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies. He relinquishes his role as Minister for Finance.

Mr Heng Swee Keat takes over as Minister for Finance. Mr Ng Chee Meng and Mr Ong Ye Kung will be Acting Ministers for Education.

The third Coordinating Minister in the Cabinet is Mr Khaw Boon Wan, who will also be the new Transport Minister.

Mr Lawrence Wong will be Minister for National Development.

On this key structural change, PM Lee explained that there is a need for "tighter coordination across different ministries in order to have a more coherent whole-of-government response to broad issues".

PM Lee also said that he has retained most of his existing Cabinet Ministers, but he is "putting many of the younger ones into key ministries so that they can broaden their experience, learn the ropes and establish themselves quickly".

Mr K. Shanmugam continues with Law and helms Home Affairs, while Mr Vivian Balakrishnan will be Foreign Affairs Minister, relinquishing the Environment and Water Resources portfolio. 

Mr Masagos Zulkifil will be Environment and Water Resources Minister. Grace Fu will be Minister for Culture, Community & Youth. 

The swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet will take place on Oct 1, 2015 at the Istana.

The full Cabinet is as follows:

PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
Mr Lee Hsien Loong - Prime Minister
Mr Teo Chee Hean - Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam - Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies
Mr Chan Chun Sing - Minister, PMO
Mr Heng Chee How, Mrs Josephine Teo - Senior Minister of State
Mr Sam Tan - Minister of State

DEFENCE
Dr Ng Eng Hen - Minister
Dr Maliki Osman, Mr Ong Ye Kung - Senior Minister of State

FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan - Minister
Mrs Josephine Teo, Dr Maliki Osman - Senior Minister of State

HOME AFFAIRS
Mr K Shanmugam - Minister
Mr Desmond Lee - Senior Minister of State
Mr Amrin Amin - Parliamentary Secretary

TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Mr Lim Hng Kiang - Minister (Trade)
Mr S Iswaran - Minister (Industry)
Dr Koh Poh Koon - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016
Ms Low Yen Ling - Parliamentary Secretary

FINANCE
Mr Heng Swee Keat - Minister
Ms Indranee Rajah, Ms Sim Ann - Senior Minister of State

MANPOWER
Mr Lim Swee Say - Minister
Mr Teo Ser Luck, Mr Sam Tan - Minister of State

TRANSPORT
Mr Khaw Boon Wan - Minister
Mrs Josephine Teo, Mr Ng Chee Meng - Senior Minister of State

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr Lawrence Wong - Minister
Mr Desmond Lee - Senior Minister of State
Dr Koh Poh Koon - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016

COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim - Minister
Mr Chee Hong Tat - Minister of State
Dr Janil Puthucheary - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016

ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES
Mr Masagos Zulkifil - Minister
Dr Amy Khor - Senior Minister of State

LAW
Mr K Shanmugam - Minister
Ms Indranee Rajah - Senior Minister of State

HEALTH
Mr Gan Kim Yong - Minister
Dr Amy Khor - Senior Minister of State
Dr Lam Pin Min, Mr Chee Hong Tat - Minister of State

EDUCATION
Mr Ng Chee Meng - Acting Minister (Schools)
Mr Ong Ye Kung - Acting Minister (Higher Education and Skills)
Dr Janil Puthucheary - Minister of State from Jan 1, 2016
Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Ms Low Yen Ling - Parliamentary Secretary

SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin - Minister
Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim - Parliamentary Secretary

CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND YOUTH
Ms Grace Fu - Minister
Ms Sim Ann - Senior Minister of State
Mr Baey Yam Keng - Parliamentary Secretary

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