History
The deputy prime minister is the second highest post, and is a senior Cabinet minister in Singapore. Since the mid-1980s, Singapore has had two deputy prime ministers at a time. The holder will sometimes assume the role of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent from Singapore.
The office of Deputy Prime Minister dates back to 1959 and it was first appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara , when Singapore attained self-governance from the British Empire.
The title of Deputy Prime Minister remained unchanged after the merger with the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and North Borneo to form Malaysia, while Singapore was a federated state of Malaysia between 1963 and 1965. Toh Chin Chye was the first deputy prime minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1968.
Heng Swee Keat was appointed as Minister of Finance and assumed the office as Deputy Prime Minister on 1 May 2019 while both Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam relinquished their positions. Heng Swee Keat was widely believed to be poised to succeed Lee Hsien Loong as the next prime minister following his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister in May 2019. However, Heng subsequently withdrew himself from the nomination in April 2021 citing age and health reasons and relinquished his finance portfolio. [1] [2]
Lawrence Wong assumed the office as Deputy Prime Minister on 13 June 2022, serving alongside Heng Swee Keat after being appointed as Minister of Finance in 2021. [3] Lawrence Wong left office on 15 May 2024 making him the shortest serving Deputy Prime Minister, on the same day Gan Kim Yong assumed the office of Deputy Prime Minister.
Teo Chee Hean is a Singaporean politician and former two-star rear-admiral who has been serving as Senior Minister of Singapore since 2019 and Coordinating Minister for National Security since 2015. A member of the governing People's Action Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Pasir Ris West division of Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC since 2001.
The Cabinet of Singapore forms the executive branch of the Government of Singapore together with the President. It is led by the Prime Minister who is the head of government. The prime minister is a Member of Parliament (MP) appointed by the president who in the president's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament (MPs). The other Ministers in the Cabinet are Members of Parliament appointed by the president acting in accordance with the advice of the prime minister. Ministers are prohibited from holding any office of profit and from actively engaging in any commercial enterprise.
Lim Swee Say is a Singaporean former politician who served as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress between 2005 and 2015, Minister for Manpower between 2015 and 2018, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office between 2004 and 2015, Second Minister for National Development between 2004 and 2005, and Minister for the Environment between 2000 and 2004.
Gan Kim Yong is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore since 2024 and Minister for Trade and Industry since 2021. A member of the governing People's Action Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Choa Chu Kang division of Choa Chu Kang GRC since 2011.
Josephine Teo Li Min is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Minister for Communications and Information, and Second Minister for Home Affairs since 2017. She is also serving as Minister-in-charge of the Cyber Security Agency and Smart Nation Initiative since 2021. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng division of Jalan Besar GRC since 2020.
Chan Chun Sing is a Singaporean politician and former major-general who has been serving as Minister for Education since 2021 and Minister-in-charge of Public Service since 2018. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Buona Vista division of Tanjong Pagar GRC since 2011.
Heng Swee Keat is a Singaporean politician and former police officer who has been serving as the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore since 2019. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Bedok division of East Coast GRC since 2020.
Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai is a Singaporean politician, economist and former civil servant who has been serving as the fourth prime minister of Singapore since 15 May 2024 and the minister for finance since 2021. A member of the governing People's Action Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Limbang division of Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC since 2015, and previously the Boon Lay division of West Coast GRC between 2011 and 2015.
Ong Ye Kung is a Singaporean politician and former civil servant who has been serving as Minister for Health since 2021. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Sembawang Central division of Sembawang GRC since 2015.
The Second Cabinet of Lee Hsien Loong of the Government of Singapore was sworn into office on 30 May 2006, following the 2006 general election for the 11th Parliament. As was the case previously, the Cabinet was made up exclusively of Members of Parliament from the governing People's Action Party (PAP).
The Third Cabinet of Lee Hsien Loong of the Government of Singapore came into existence on 21 May 2011 following the 2011 general election. While many of its members were retained from the previous government, Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing, who had both just been elected, were given ministerial appointments.
Senior Minister of Singapore is a position in the Cabinet of Singapore. Holders of this office have previously served as either the prime minister or the deputy prime minister. Among the executive branch officeholders in the order of precedence, the position ranks after the prime minister and the deputy prime minister. Senior Ministers also serve as part of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and work at the Istana.
The Fourth Cabinet of Lee Hsien Loong of the Government of Singapore was announced on 28 September 2015 following the 2015 general election on 11 September, and came into effect on 1 October 2015. The day after the election, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told the media that he would form the Cabinet within two weeks.
Rahayu binte Mahzam is a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), she has been serving as Minister of State for Health and Minister of State for Communications and Information concurrently since 2024. She has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Bukit Batok East division of Jurong GRC since 2015.
Tan Kiat How is a Singaporean politician and former civil servant who has been serving as Senior Minister of State for National Development and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information concurrently since 2022. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Kampong Chai Chee division of East Coast GRC since 2020.
The Fifth Cabinet of Lee Hsien Loong of the Government of Singapore was announced on 25 July 2020 following the 2020 general election on 10 July, and came into effect on 27 July 2020.
General elections are due to be held in Singapore no later than 23 November 2025 to determine the composition of the fifteenth Parliament. The elections will be the nineteenth in Singapore since 1948 and the fourteenth since independence.
The First Cabinet of Lawrence Wong of the Government of Singapore was announced on 13 May 2024, and came into effect on 15 May 2024.
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