No major changes to Singapore's new cabinet: Deputy PM Wong

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who will become the country's fourth prime minister, said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will take on the role of senior minister in the new cabinet, which is not likely to have major changes.

According to Singaporean media, Wong will announce the make-up of his new xabinet at a press conference a few days before he is sworn in as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15 at Istana Palace.

However, bigger cabinet changes are likely to take place only after the next general election that is set to take place this November, he said.

Now, the cabinet is not likely to have major changes as the system works on the basis of continuity and progressive change, Wong said.

Wong was appointed as the leader of the fourth-generation People’s Action Party (PAP) team two years ago, positioning him as the next in line for the role of Prime Minister. He came to prominence while helping to coordinate Singapore’s fight against COVID-19.

He will be the city-state’s fourth PM since its independence in 1965, following in the footsteps of Lee Hsien Loong, Goh Chok Tong (1990), and Lee Kuan Yew (1959)