Published: Tuesday July 31, 2012 MYT 6:28:00 PM

S'pore reshuffles Cabinet, three new ministries created

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will make several changes to the Cabinet and other appointments, effective Wednesday.

Further changes will be made effective from Nov 1, 2012 when the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts are restructured to form three new ministries.

These will be the Ministry of Social and Family Development, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Ministry of Communications and Information, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's office.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam will relinquish his post of Minister for Manpower. He will remain as DPM and Minister for Finance and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Lui Tuck Yew will relinquish his post of Second Minister for Foreign Affairs.

S.Iswaran will remain in his current appointments. In the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), he will have specific responsibility for industry-related research and development, energy and tourism, while continuing to assist Lim Hng Kiang in other areas of MTI's work.

Grace Fu Hai Yien will be promoted to full minister. She will become Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Environment and Water Resources and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs. She will also assist Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on population matters.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim will become Minister for Communications and Information from Nov 1, 2012. He will also continue to be in charge of Muslim Affairs.

Chan Chun Sing, BG (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Lawrence Wong, Lee Yi Shyan and Masagos Zulkifli will be promoted to Senior Ministers of State (SMS).

Chan Chun Sing will relinquish his appointment in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, and be appointed as SMS in the Ministry of Defence concurrent with his existing appointment as Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.

He will become Acting Minister for Social and Family Development when the Ministry of Social and Family Development is established on Nov 1, 2012.

Tan Chuan-Jin will become Acting Minister for Manpower and SMS in the Ministry of National Development.

Lawrence Wong will relinquish his appointment in the Ministry of Defence and be appointed SMS in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.

He will continue as SMS in the Ministry of Education until Nov 1, when he becomes Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and SMS in the Ministry of Communications and Information.

Lee Yi Shyan and Masagos Zulkifli will remain in their respective ministries.

Indranee Rajah will be appointed SMS in the Ministries of Law and Education with effect from Nov 1. This is a new appointment.

Dr Amy Khor will be appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of Manpower, concurrent with her present appointment as Minister of State in the Ministry of Health.

She will also remain as the Mayor of South West CDC.

Halimah Yacob will be appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of Social and Family Development with effect from Nov 1, 2012.

Sam Tan Chin Siong will be posted to the new Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth as Senior Parliamentary Secretary on Nov 1. He will concurrently be the Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mayor of Central CDC.

Sim Ann will relinquish her appointment in the Ministry of Law, and be appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Information on Nov 1. She will continue as Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education.

A/P Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim will be appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministries of Health and Transport. - Bernama

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