PM Wong set to unveil major Cabinet changes as 4G team, new faces step up

Observers say PM Wong has leeway to make more changes after strong mandate

- Goh Yan Han and Ng Wei Kai

Fourth-generation (4G) ministers are expected to take over hefty portfolios held by the 3G in the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, which is also set to bring new blood into the ranks of government.

Several key leaders announced their retirement from politics at the recent general election, including Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and two 3G stalwarts—Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

Meanwhile, new faces earmarked for government include a number of former top civil servants who were elected into the 15th term of Parliament and are likely to take up more junior roles.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is expected to announce a Cabinet reshuffle soon, based on precedent. His predecessors had typically done so about two to three weeks after an election.

In 2020, then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced his new Cabinet on July 25, about two weeks after Polling Day on July 10. Office-holders were sworn in on July 27 that year.

After Polling Day on Sept 11 in 2015, he announced his Cabinet on Sept 28, and the swearing-in ceremony was on Oct 1 that year.

At past reshuffles, prime ministers have announced promotions, rotations and retirements among full ministers as well as ministers of state and parliamentary secretaries.

Many had expected a significant reshuffle in 2024 when PM Wong took over as head of government, similar to his predecessors.

But this did not happen, with few changes made then. This could have been due to the extremely busy parliamentary term for the Government, which resulted in the broader succession plan being postponed, said the Institute of Policy Studies' senior research fellow Gillian Koh.

Political observers said PM Wong now has the leeway to make more changes, after receiving a strong mandate from Singaporeans at the general election with the PAP winning 65.57 per cent of the popular vote.

A MAJOR RENEWAL