Jeffrey Siow, David Neo to be acting ministers; 7 new MPs to take political office

Number of new office-holders reflects importance of leadership renewal, says PM

- Ng Wei Kai

Former top public servants Jeffrey Siow and David Neo will enter the Cabinet as acting ministers among seven new MPs taking political office in a Cabinet reshuffle announced on May 21.

Mr Siow, 46, a former permanent secretary, will be Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance, while Mr Neo, 47, a former army chief, will be Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Education.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced these changes at a press conference on May 21.

PM Wong said he is appointing nine new office-holders in total, comprising the seven new MPs and two promoted from the backbench—Mr Desmond Choo, 47, and Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, 44.

He said: "That's one of the highest in recent history, and it's because of the importance of leadership renewal."

Three new MPs - Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, 50, Ms Jasmin Lau, 42, and Mr Goh Pei Ming, 43 - will become ministers of state. They, along with Mr Siow and Mr Neo, will be sworn into office on May 23.

Another two will be made senior parliamentary secretaries: Ms Goh Hanyan, 39, and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, 40. They will be sworn in later, with Dr Syed Harun taking office from Oct 1.

Mr Dinesh, former chief of the Agency for Integrated Care and a former brigadier-general in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), will join the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

He will also be appointed Mayor of South East District, replacing Mr Fahmi Aliman, who did not contest the recent general election.

Ms Lau, a former ministry deputy secretary, will join the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and the Ministry of Education (MOE).

She will also take charge of the Government Technology Agency, a statutory board responsible for the Government's digital services.