Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled his new cabinet Wednesday, opting to retain his role as finance minister following a convincing electoral victory earlier this month, CNA reported.

Among a number of senior officials switching jobs, Chan Chun Sing becomes the city-state’s new defense minister, relinquishing the role of education minister to another cabinet official, Desmond Lee. Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth in the last government, will serve as law minister.

Wong, a 52-year-old Harvard alumnus who took over the finance portfolio in 2021, became the nation’s first new prime minister in two decades after succeeding Lee Hsien Loong last year. The ruling party then won 87 of 97 seats in parliament in the May 3 election, as Singaporeans worried about the economy flocked to a party that has been in power for six decades.

Once the new cabinet is sworn in, the next government is expected to focus on addressing economic issues as many Singaporeans struggle to cope with high living costs and the trade-dependent city navigates a more complicated geopolitical environment.

Wong pledged after the vote to redouble efforts to tackle cost-of-living pressures. He also spoke of the need to create more jobs and bolster support for healthcare, retirement, education and families.

While a win for the PAP was never in doubt, the margin of victory was higher than many analysts expected, with the PAP garnering about 66% of the ballots cast, nearly 5 percentage points more than in 2020. The result signals policy continuity to foreign companies that have helped make Singapore a global financial and trading hub, while ensuring a slate of experienced officials to negotiate with the US and China.

New Roles

Chan, 55, who becomes defense minister, served in the armed forces for more than two decades, holding various appointments along the way including chief of army. He left the military to run for office in 2011 and has held a number of key roles since.

Desmond Lee, 48, who served as minister for national development in the last government, began his career in civil service as a law clerk of the Supreme Court before also making his political debut in 2011.

Among the other cabinet positions, Wong picked Ong Ye Kung and Chee Hong Tat to serve, respectively, as Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for National Development. That came despite a local controversy this month over a photo showing the two men dining with another man who would later be convicted in a record money laundering case.

Ong and Chee acknowledged the photos but said they didn’t know the man personally and had not had contact with him for years.

Among the newer faces in the cabinet are David Neo, a retired major-general who will serve as acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth. Jeffrey Siow, a former principle private secretary to then-Prime Minister Lee, becomes acting Minister for Transport, while Faishal Ibrahim becomes acting Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs.

The new Cabinet is expected to be sworn in within days.