Singapore swears in Cabinet and political office holders
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President Halimah Yacob and Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon pose for a photo with the newly sworn-in Ministers of State at the Istana, on Jul 27, 2020. (Photo: -Jeremy Long)
In usual times, they would stand shoulder-to-shoulder at the Istana staircase, but on Monday evening (Jul 27), members of Singapore's new Cabinet stood at arm's length from each other on the front entrance steps to pose for a family photo.
This was part of the safe-distancing measures at the swearing-in ceremony, which saw 33 political office holders split into two groups as they took their oaths of allegiance to serve Singapore.
Proceedings at the Istana, including speeches by President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, were broadcast to Parliament House via video link.
Photos go viral — WP MPs-elect at Istana and in Parliament
They are going viral. The two photos here of the 10 Workers’ Party members who were elected in the recent General Election. The MPs-elect were at the 2020 Cabinet Swearing-In Ceremony yesterday, which was held simultaneously at the Istana and in Parliament as part safe-distancing measures.
Published online by WP Secretary-General Pritam Singh, show the 10 MPs-elect wearing masks and observing social distance at the Istana and in Parliament. There were five of them at each venue.
The photos drew nearly 9,000 likes in a span of only two hours. Those commenting on the photos spurred the opposition MPs-elect on as they prepare to take part in the latest term of Parliament alongside a sea of 83 PAP MPs.
Pritam Singh to allocate 50% of Leader of the Opposition remuneration to low-income residents, other causes
Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh talking to media after a walkabout at Bedok North Street 4 on July 1, 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Workers’ Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh detailed on Tuesday (Jul 28) how he would allocate half of his allowance as Leader of the Opposition towards helping low-income residents, various needs of the party and other causes.
Earlier in the day, the authorities had announced that Mr Singh would be accorded additional privileges in his role as the Leader of the Opposition, and would also receive double the allowance of an elected Member of Parliament.
This means that Mr Singh will receive an annual package of S$385,000.
HO Ching 28 July at 19:35
There are lots of folks who donated and continue to donate quietly, without making any public announcement.
Some folks make public announcement of part of their donations, and still maintain privacy on the rest of their regular donations.
Other continue to donate anonymously.
Yet others put their donations into their wills.
But of course, not all are angels.
There are folks who will scheme to get money from others in their families, or friends, some by stealth, others by outright manipulation and cheating.
Take all kinds - and only some may be caught by law.
Everyone has to answer to their conscience, the Almighty, and their karma in time to come.
Ho Ching and Calvin Cheng take on Pritam Singh's donation declaration; netizens respond
Getting appointed as the Leader of Opposition (LO) comes with bigger responsibilities and with that, better perks — like having one’s salary as an elected MP doubled.
As such Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh announced on Tuesday (July 28) that he will be contributing 50 per cent of his additional salary (which works out to about $96,000 a year) to his party, community funds, programmes, as well as worthy charitable causes.
Donating funds to the community would generally be considered an upstanding gesture, but two high-profile individuals — Temasek Holdings CEO Ho Ching and former NMP Calvin Cheng — have publicly expressed suspicion over Singh’s intentions with his public announcement.
It is a sad day indeed when authorities turn a good deed into a bad one by attacking Pritam Singh’s annoucement to donate 50% of LO salary
One would have thought that a public figure donating a part of his salary to good causes would be a laudable thing. Yet in Singapore, it seems to have ruffled a few establishment feathers. This phenomenon is curious. Could it be jealousy or fear that motivated such negative social media posts on the part of the powers be? A touch of sour grapes perhaps
For those unaware, Leader of the Opposition (LO), Pritam Singh from the Workers’ Party (WP) has announced on Facebook that he will be donating 50% of his LO salary (after taxes) to the following causes:
- To assist low-income residents in Hougang SMC, Aljunied GRC and Sengkang GRC through the WP Community Fund (WPCF) and/or the WP Grassroots Committee; or
- Community programs in Hougang SMC, Aljunied GRC, Sengkang GRC; or
- Charitable or worthy causes; or
- Workers’ Party specific needs.
While netizens have generally reacted to this announcement positively, it is noteworthy that CEO of Temasek and wife of the Prime Minister, Ho Ching has implied that Singh may have had nefarious intents by making his intentions public.
related: Netizens call out Ho Ching over critical Facebook post on donations; demands her salary be revealed
Parliament sets out duties and privileges of Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh with Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin on July 28, 2020.PHOTO: TAN CHUAN-JIN/FACEBOOK
As the official Leader of the Opposition (LO), Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh will be given certain parliamentary privileges like the right of first response among MPs.
He will also have the right to ask the lead question to ministers on policies, Bills and motions, subject to existing speaking conventions, the offices of the Speaker of Parliament and the Leader of the House said in a joint statement on Tuesday (July 28).
The statement set out the duties of the new role, as well as the parliamentary privileges and resources accorded to Mr Singh, who is an MP for Aljunied GRC.
Singapore PM Lee Announces New Cabinet; Swearing-in On July 27
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday announced his new Cabinet, 15 days after his ruling People's Action Party bagged 61.24 per cent of the votes in the 2020 general election. The swearing-in ceremony for the Cabinet and other office holders will take place on Monday at the Istana — the official residence and office of the President of Singapore — and Parliament House. Lee's PAP party has retained power with a "clear mandate" in the general election held on July 10 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The PAP, in power since 1965, won 83 of the 93 parliamentary seats or 61.24 per cent of the vote.
The election was widely seen as a referendum on the prime minister's handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Singapore is currently facing the city state's worst recession with economy projected to shrink between 7 and 4 per cent. Singapore is only a handful of countries to have held an election during the pandemic.
The new Cabinet will have 37 political office holders, the same as the previous one. Lee said the new Cabinet seeks to balance continuity, exposure and renewal, and be a team that leads Singapore through the current public health and economic crisis and into the future, the Channel News Asia reported. Heng Swee Keat remains in his posts as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. However, he has also been named as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies in the new Cabinet. Teo Chee Hean retains his post as Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, while Indian-origin Tharman Shanmugaratnam stays as Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies. Both the ministers will also serve in the Prime Ministers' Office.
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PM Lee’s latest Cabinet: No change in prominent ministerial positions
Mr Lee will continue to be head of government while his presumptive successor, Mr Heng Swee Keat, will continue as the Cabinet’s sole Deputy Prime Minister and also as Finance Minister with an additional role as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Mr Teo Chee Hean will remain as Senior Ministers.
Mr K Shanmugam will continue helming two key ministries: Law and Home Affairs. Mr Chan Chun Sing, Mr S Iswaran and Mr Gan Kim Yong will continue leading the ministries of Trade and Industry, Communications and Information, and Health respectively. Mrs Josephine Teo will continue as Minister of Manpower despite widespread criticism of how she handled the Covid-19 outbreak among migrant workers.
In his announcement, that came 15 days after the 2020 elections — which saw the People’s Action Party draw its second-worst result in history, Mr Lee said that he is retaining these key positions to promote continuity. He is, however, making some changes to give the 4G ministers more exposure handling different portfolios.
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New Cabinet appointments: Changes at a glance
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday (July 25) unveiled the new Cabinet line-up and other political appointments.
There will be seven new political office-holders, three office-holders will retire and six will be promoted. The new appointment holders will be sworn in at the Istana and Parliament House on Monday.
Here are the changes at a glance:
- MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS
- PROMOTIONS
- OTHER POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS
- NEW POLITICAL OFFICE-HOLDERS
- RETIREMENTS
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Cabinet reshuffle: New top appointments at 5 ministries including Lawrence Wong as Education Minister, Ong Ye Kung as Transport Minister
Two weeks after the People’s Action Party returned to power after the General Election (GE), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday (July 25) unveiled Singapore’s new Cabinet line-up.
There will be new top appointments at five of the ministries, while the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has been renamed the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment. Mr Ong Ye Kung will head the Ministry of Transport, taking over from Mr Khaw Boon Wan who has retired from politics. Mr Ong was previously Education Minister. Mr Lawrence Wong, previously the National Development Minister, will take over the education portfolio.
Mr Desmond Lee will be the new National Development Minister, while retaining a role in the Ministry of Social and Family Development as Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration. Mr Masagos Zulkifli will be the new Minister for Social and Family Development, relinquishing his environment portfolio, which will be taken up by Ms Grace Fu.
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PM Lee announces new Cabinet; 6 office holders promoted, 3 retirements
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced Singapore's new Cabinet on Saturday (Jul 25), 15 days after the People's Action Party (PAP) took 61.24 per cent of the votes in the 2020 General Election.
Three office holders will retire and six office holders will be promoted. In addition, there will be seven new political office holders. These changes take effect from next Monday unless stated otherwise.
Mr Lee continues as Prime Minister, saying that he intends to see Singapore through the COVID-19 pandemic as its leader and that the timeline for succession depends on the situation.
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PM Lee Hsien Loong announces new Cabinet, with new MP Tan See Leng in line-up
During his announcement, PM Lee said that the new Cabinet seeks to balance continuity, exposure and renewal, and be a team that leads Singapore through the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis and into the future. “First, continuity. In normal times, we need experienced ministers to provide steady hands, and also to mentor the younger ministers. And in this crisis, this need is even greater,” he said.
"Secondly, I'm rotating the ministers, especially the younger ones to gain exposure and experience. We regularly do this during Cabinet reshuffles, and the intent is to expose the office holders to different portfolios, to gain both breadth and depth, to understand the intricacies of the issues and to see things from different perspectives. And ultimately from a national perspective.
"Thirdly, I'm renewing the line-up and bringing in fresh blood and promoting several junior office holders and backbenchers who have performed well. I'm also bringing in fresh faces from the newly elected Members of Parliament, including several from the private sector, and one of whom as a full minister. They will reinforce my team and offer new ideas and perspectives.”
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Singapore PM hints at delayed exit
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has hinted that he might delay his plan to step down as he wants to ensure the coronavirus outbreak and recovery are managed successfully.
He made the comment on Saturday after announcing a new cabinet that is largely unchanged from before the July 10 general election. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Lee’s expected successor, was kept in his post overseeing the finance ministry, as were senior ministers Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Teo Chee Hean.
“We are in a crisis of a generation … therefore I have kept on many of my older colleagues who are all participating in this fight against Covid-19,” said Lee, whose People’s Action Party (PAP) has ruled Singapore since its independence in 1965. Lee, 68, said he may have to delay his plans to hand off to a successor by the time he is 70 because of the pandemic.
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4G leaders in 'complete unity' behind Heng Swee Keat's leadership: Vivian Balakrishnan
The fourth-generation leadership team is in "complete unity" behind Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat's leadership, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Sunday.
Asked about the implications of the new Cabinet line-up, which was announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday (Jul 25), Dr Balakrishnan reiterated PM Lee's points that the reshuffle "reflects the need for continuity, the need for rotation, and the need for renewal".
"And if you look carefully at the composition and in fact at the moves that the Prime Minister has made, it reflects all these three priorities," he added.
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Cabinet changes show Singapore’s political succession is faltering
There was an opportunity to erase the doubts about succession when the PM announced his new Cabinet line-up on Saturday (25 July). But when Lee was asked about Heng’s position as his designated successor, the Prime Minister deflected the question to Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing, the man said to be third in line.
Chan seemed a little taken aback, but managed to regain his composure somewhat and said that the 4G team’s focus is on helping the country overcome economic challenges and save jobs because of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We have no plans to do otherwise, and we have no plans, no discussion, on any change in plan.”
What an opportunity lost. He could have easily said that the 4G leadership was fully behind Heng but he didn’t and the gossip mill went into overdrive. It had to be left to a 3G leader, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, to do damage control the next day when he said at a doorstop that the new leaders were in “complete unity” behind the leadership of the DPM.
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Cabinet reshuffle: Chan Chun Sing gives cryptic reply about DPM Heng
And the most significant question posed at the press conference elicited a very telling answer. When asked whether the 4G leaders had reviewed their plans about backing DPM Heng, PM Lee very quickly deflected the question to Chan Chun Sing, who looked a bit surprised.
The Trade and Industry Minister regained his composure and gave this cryptic reply:
“We are entirely focused on helping the country in overcoming the economic challenges and saving the jobs at this point of time. We have no plans to do otherwise and we have no plans, no discussions on any change in plan.”For the time being, perhaps.
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