SINGAPORE — Prime minister-designate Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday that incumbent leader Lee Hsien Loong would serve as a senior minister in his cabinet after he takes power in Singapore on May 15.
Wong, the current finance minister, said he would announce a new cabinet lineup a few days before he is sworn in as the city-state’s fourth prime minister, the Straits Times reported. But he said any major changes would likely take place only after a general election.
“For this moment, though, there should not be any major changes because our system works on the basis of continuity and progressive change,” the newspaper quoted him as telling reporters.
Lee, 72, will step down May 15 as part of a long-planned succession, but like his late father Lee Kuan Yew, he is expected to have a strong advisory role.
Wong said that in the near term, his agenda included tackling concerns over high living costs and jobs.
The ruling People’s Action Party had its worst performance in the 2020 election despite winning 89% of parliamentary seats. The opposition pushed for measures to help low-income Singaporeans and a preference to hire local people over foreigners.
Wong, 51, was tipped in 2022 to be the Asian financial hub’s next leader, after being catapulted into the spotlight as co-head of the government’s Covid-19 task force. He won praise for keeping the death rate low by imposing restrictions on movement, border curbs and contact-tracing.
The next general election must be held by November 2025.