Cabinet of Singapore
Encyclopedia
The Cabinet of Singapore forms the Government
(executive branch
) of Singapore
together with the President of Singapore
. It is led by the Prime Minister of Singapore
who is the head of government
. The Prime Minister is a Member of Parliament
appointed by the President who selects a person that in his or her view is likely to command the confidence of a majority of the Parliament of Singapore
. The other members of the Cabinet are Ministers who are Members of Parliament appointed by the President on the Prime Minister's advice. Cabinet members are prohibited from holding any office of profit
and from actively engaging in any commercial enterprise.
The Cabinet generally directs and controls the Government and is collectively responsible
to Parliament. It also has significant influence over lawmaking. Ministers may be designated by the Prime Minister to be in charge of particular ministries, or as Ministers in the Prime Minister's Office
. Singapore's ministers are among the best paid in the world. As of January 2009, the Prime Minister's annual salary was S$
3.04 million, while the pay of ministerial-grade officers was $1.57 million.
The earliest predecessor of the Cabinet was the Executive Council of the Straits Settlements
, introduced in 1877 to advise the Governor of the Straits Settlements. It wielded no executive power. In 1955, a Council of Ministers was created, made up of three ex officio Official Members and six Elected Members of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore
, appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Leader of the House. Following the general elections that year, David Saul Marshall
became the first Chief Minister of Singapore
. Constitutional talks between Legislative Assembly representatives and the Colonial Office
were held from 1956 to 1958, and Singapore gained full internal self-government in 1959. The Governor was replaced by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara
, who had power to appoint to the post of Prime Minister the person most likely to command the authority of the Assembly, and other Ministers of the Cabinet on the Prime Minister's advice. In the 1959 general elections, the People's Action Party
swept to power with 43 out of the 51 seats in the Assembly, and Lee Kuan Yew
became the first Prime Minister of Singapore. The executive branch of the Singapore Government remained unchanged following Singapore's merger with Malaysia
in 1963, and subsequent independence in 1965.
Following the 2011 general election, a Cabinet reshuffle took place effective 21 May 2011. Lim Hng Kiang
and Lim Swee Say
respectively retained their Trade and Industry
and Prime Minister's Office
portfolios, while other ministers were given new appointments to the remaining 11 ministries. Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing
, both elected to Parliament for the first time, were respectively assigned the posts of Minister for Education
, and Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports
.
, Singapore
was part of the Crown colony
known as the Straits Settlements
together with Malacca
and Penang
. The earliest predecessor of the Cabinet was arguably the Executive Council of the Straits Settlements that was introduced in 1877 by letters patent
issued by the Crown
, though its function was very different from that of today's Cabinet. The Council, which was composed of "such persons and constituted in such manner as may be directed" by royal instructions, existed to advise the Governor of the Straits Settlements and wielded no executive power. The Governor was required to consult the Executive Council on all affairs of importance unless they were too urgent to be laid before it, or if reference to it would prejudice the public service. In such urgent cases, the Governor had to inform the Council of the measures he had taken.
Following the Second World War, the Straits Settlements were disbanded and Singapore became a Crown colony in its own right. The reconstituted Executive Council consisted of six officials and four nominated "unofficials". In February 1954, the Rendel Constitutional Commission under the chairmanship of Sir George William Rendel
, which had been appointed to comprehensively review the constitution of the Colony of Singapore, rendered its report. Among other things, it recommended that a Council of Ministers be created, composed of three ex officio Official Members and six Elected Members of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore
appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Leader of the House, who would be the leader of the largest political party or coalition of parties
having majority support in the legislature. The recommendation was implemented in 1955. In the general election held that year, the Labour Front
took a majority of the seats in the Assembly, and David Saul Marshall
became the first Chief Minister of Singapore
. Major problems with the Rendel Constitution were that the Chief Minister and Ministers' powers were ill defined, and that the Official Members retained control of the finance, administration, and internal security and law portfolios. This led to confrontation between Marshall, who saw himself as a Prime Minister governing the country, and the Governor, Sir John Fearns Nicoll
, who felt that important decisions and policies should remain with himself and the Official Members.
In 1956, members of the Legislative Assembly held constitutional talks with the Colonial Office
in London. The talks broke down as Marshall did not agree to the British Government's proposal for the casting vote
on a proposed Defence Council to be held by the British High Commissioner to Singapore, who would only exercise it in an emergency. Marshall resigned as Chief Minister in June 1956, and was replaced by Lim Yew Hock
. The following year, Lim led another delegation to the UK for further talks on self-government. This time, agreement was reached on the composition of an Internal Security Council. Other constitutional arrangements were swiftly settled in 1958, and on 1 August the Parliament of the United Kingdom
passed the State of Singapore Act 1958, granting the colony full internal self-government. Under Singapore's new constitution which came into force on 3 June 1959, the Governor was replaced by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara
(Head of State), who had power to appoint as Prime Minister the person most likely to command the authority of the Legislative Assembly, and other Ministers of the Cabinet on the Prime Minister's advice. The Constitution also created the post of the British High Commissioner, who was entitled to receive the agenda of each Cabinet meeting and to see all Cabinet papers. In the 1959 general elections, the People's Action Party
swept to power with 43 out of the 51 seats in the Assembly, and Lee Kuan Yew
became the first Prime Minister of Singapore. Nine other Ministers were appointed to the Cabinet.
The British High Commissioner's role became that of an ambassador
following Singapore's independence from Britain and merger with Malaysia
in 1963. Apart from that the executive branch of the Singapore Government remained largely unchanged, although now it governed a state within a larger federation
. However, with effect from 9 August 1965, Singapore left the Federation of Malaysia and became a fully independent republic. On separation from Malaysia, the Singapore Government retained its executive authority, and the executive authority of the Parliament of Malaysia
ceased to extend to Singapore and vested in the Singapore Government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong
, the Supreme Head of State of Malaysia, also ceased to be the Supreme Head of Singapore and relinquished his sovereignty, jurisdiction, power and authority, executive or otherwise in respect of Singapore, which revested in the Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore. The Republic of Singapore Independence Act 1965 then vested the executive authority of Singapore in the newly created post of President, and made it exercisable by him or by the Cabinet or by any Minister authorized by the Cabinet.
of government from the British
. In such systems, there is an overlap between the executive
and legislative branches
of government. The head of state
, who is the President of Singapore
, is a member of both the executive Government of Singapore
and the Parliament of Singapore
but plays a minimal role in them. Executive power lies in the hands of the Cabinet
, which is made up of the Prime Minister of Singapore
(the head of government
) and other Ministers. At the same time, the Prime Minister and Ministers are also Members of Parliament
(MPs).
Following constitutional reforms in 1991, the office of President was transformed from an appointed to an elected post. Thus, both the President and MPs are elected to their posts by the citizens of Singapore
in separate elections
.
The President appoints as Prime Minister an MP who, in his judgment, is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the MPs. In practice, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the political party holding the majority of the seats in Parliament.
The President also appoints other Ministers to the Cabinet from among the MPs, acting in accordance with the Prime Minister's advice. Any MP, including a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament
(NCMP) or a Nominated Member of Parliament
(NMP), may be appointed a Minister. Thus it is possible for a person who was not elected by voters to be appointed by Parliament as an NMP, then by the President as a Minister. In 1990, then Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
said in Parliament: "I would rather that a government has the flexibility to appoint the right person to be the minister for finance, than to compel that government to select from whoever is available in the House." However, he added that the Government had no intention to appoint a Cabinet minister from among the NMPs at that time. In May 2009, MP Hri Kumar
proposed during a Parliamentary debate that this stand be reconsidered as the Prime Minister would be able to draw on the experience of many capable Singaporeans. He expressed the view that this would not offend democratic principles. Singapore's Parliamentary system placed more weight on the party in power rather than individual MPs, and "Parliamentarians must still win the support from the ground and, ultimately, the PM and the ruling party and his Cabinet team will still be answerable to the electorate at elections." Critics have commented that adopting the practice would disenchant Singaporeans, deepen the already parochial
political culture, and lead to a lack of accountability and legitimacy.
Before entering on the duties of their office, the Prime Minister and other Ministers must take and subscribe (sign) the Oath of Allegiance and an oath for the due execution of their offices before the President. The Oath of Allegiance reads as follows:
The oath for the due execution of the office of Prime Minister or a Minister is as follows:
Cabinet members are prohibited from holding any office of profit
or actively engaging in any commercial enterprise. In addition, they are required to comply with a Code of Conduct for Ministers. For example, to counter potential allegations of corruption and unexplained wealth and to avoid potential conflicts between private interests and public responsibilities, the Code requires every Minister, upon appointment to office, to disclose in confidence to the President through the Prime Minister all sources of income other than his salary as a Minister and as an MP. This must include all assets, such as financial assets, real property, interests in any company or professional practice, and any other substantial personal assets as well as financial liabilities, including mortgages and borrowings. A Minister must also "scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests". Thus, a Minister is not permitted to accept any favour of any kind from persons in negotiation with, or seeking to obtain any licence or enter into any contractual relations with, the Government, or to use official information that comes to him as a Minister for his own private profit or the profit of any family member or associate.
instead of making a declaration of vacancy. A general election
must be held within three months after the dissolution of Parliament. This gives the former Prime Minister the opportunity to consolidate support by receiving a fresh mandate at the polls.
At present, it is not clear what evidence the President may rely on to be satisfied that the Prime Minister has ceased to command the confidence of a majority of MPs, as the Singapore courts
have not yet had to decide the issue. In the Sarawak
case of Stephen Kalong Ningkan v. Tun Abang Haji Openg, decided on provisions similar to those in the Singapore Constitution, the court found that the phrase ceased to command the confidence of a majority of the Members of Parliament was a term of art
which had to be signified by a formal vote of no confidence
taken by the legislature. In contrast, a Sabah
court held in Datuk Amir Kahar v. Tun Mohd Said bin Keruak, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sabah that loss of confidence could be assessed on the basis of evidence other than a legislative vote. This might include, for instance, media reports or letters addressed to the President.
Other Cabinet ministers must vacate their office if they resign, or if their appointments are revoked by the President acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. A person who has vacated his or her office as Minister may, if qualified, be subsequently appointed again as a Minister.
The Prime Minister and other Ministers who make up the Cabinet do not vacate their offices upon a dissolution of Parliament, but continue in their posts until the first sitting of the next Parliament following a general election.
The executive authority of Singapore is vested in the President and is exercisable by him or by the Cabinet of Singapore or any Minister authorized by the Cabinet. However, the President normally plays a nominal and largely ceremonial role in the executive branch of government. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check on the Cabinet and Parliament of Singapore, he is otherwise required to act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or of a Minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet. It is the Cabinet that has the general direction and control of the Government. As Singapore follows the Westminster system of government, the legislative
agenda of Parliament is determined by the Cabinet. At the start of each new Parliamentary session, the President gives an address prepared by the Cabinet that outlines what the Cabinet intends to achieve in the session.
Under the Constitution, the Cabinet is collectively responsible
to Parliament. In theory, Parliament acts as a check on the power of the Cabinet as Ministers are required to justify their actions and policies upon being questioned by MPs. However, in Singapore this is a weak check because the ruling People's Action Party
holds a large Parliamentary majority, and party members who are MPs are required by party discipline
to vote according to the party Whip
's instructions.
The Cabinet may not be summoned except by the authority of the Prime Minister. As far as is practicable, the Prime Minister is required to attend and preside at Cabinet meetings, but in his absence he may appoint another Minister to preside.
Whenever the Prime Minister is ill, absent from Singapore, or has been granted leave of absence from his duties, the functions conferred on him by the Constitution are exercisable by any other Minister authorized by the President. In general, the President must act in accordance with the Prime Minister's advice in appointing a Minister for this purpose. However, the President may act in his own discretion if in his opinion it is impracticable to obtain the advice of the Prime Minister due to his illness or absence.
Ministers may be designated by the Prime Minister to be in charge of particular ministries, or as Ministers in the Prime Minister's Office
. Such Ministers were formerly known as Ministers without portfolio
.
The Prime Minister may retain any department or subject in his charge.
received a monthly salary of nearly S$
96,000 (about $1.15 million a year), while other ministers earned about $48,900 a month ($586,800 a year). This made them among the highest paid government ministers in the world. In October that year, the Government issued a white paper entitled Competitive Salaries for Competent & Honest Government which proposed that the salaries of ministers and civil servants
be pegged at two-thirds the average principal earned income of the top four earners in six professions: accounting, banking, engineering, law, local manufacturing firms and multinational corporations. These professions were chosen because their top members had general management skills which ministers also had to have. According to the white paper, the one-third "discount" would be "a visible demonstration of the sacrifice involved in becoming a minister". Although "[s]alaries should never be the motivation for persons to become ministers", the financial sacrifice had to be minimized if outstanding and committed Singaporeans were to be encouraged to take on the "risks and public responsibilities of a political career". The benchmark would also be used to determine the pay of the President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney-General, Chairman of the Public Service Commission
and judges.
Following Parliamentary approval of the white paper in November 1994, the Government established an independent panel to examine the benchmark for the Prime Minister's salary. The panel's report, released in January 1995, recommended that the benchmark be about $1.6 million a year, but said it would be reasonable for the Prime Minister to be paid $2.4 million in view of his heavy responsibilities. The Government said that in three years it planned to raise the pay of the Prime Minister to $1.46 million and that of ministers to 60% of the benchmark, and in the "longer term" to $1.6 million and two-thirds of the benchmark respectively.
In February 1996 it was reported that a survey of 19 countries by the World Economic Forum
magazine World Link had found that political leaders and senior civil servants of Singapore had the highest salaries. The pay of the Singapore Prime Minister (S$1.1 million, or US$812,858) was almost five times the average pay of the chief political executives of the nations surveyed (US$168,291). Senior civil servants were paid US$292,714, almost three times their counterparts' average pay.
In August 2000, in view of the Singapore economy's growth of almost 10% led by a rapid increase in exports, the salary of the Prime Minister was increased by 14% and those of other ministers by 12%. In response to public disquiet, Goh Chok Tong said that, spread across the population, the rises amounted to about $11 per person, equivalent to "about five plates of char kway teow
[fried noodles with cockles
] per Singaporean". Subsequently, in late 2001, when Singapore experienced its worst recession in a generation
, ministerial pay was reduced by more than 17%. Nonetheless, it was reported that the prime minister still earned a gross annual salary of about $1.03 million before the variable component was taken into account.
In April 2007, the Prime Minister's annual salary increased to S$3.1 million (US$
2.05 million), about five times that of the then President of the United States
George W. Bush
who earned US$400,000. The annual entry-level salary for ministers increased from $1.2 million to $1.6 million, and was projected to rise to 88% of the private sector benchmark by the end of 2008. Almost half of ministers' pay packages was made up of an individual performance bonus decided by the Prime Minister, and a variable bonus component based on the country's prevailing gross domestic product
and capped at eight months of each minister's annual salary. The pay increases were justified by the Government on the grounds that the salaries had to keep pace with those in the private sector to attract the best talent and to avoid corruption. Teo Chee Hean
, the Minister for Defence
and minister in charge of the civil service, was reported as saying: "We don't want pay to be the reason for people to join [the government]. But we also don't want pay to be the reason for them not to join us, or to leave after joining us." The increases sparked much debate both in and out of Parliament, with many people seeing ministerial pay as already being too high. During a Parliamentary debate on the issue, Nominated Member of Parliament
Thio Li-ann
said: "It would be a sad indictment of my generation if no one came forward to serve without excessive monetary inducement, as to be bereft of deep convictions is to be impoverished indeed." On 11 April 2007, the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
told Parliament: "To make it quite clear why I am doing this, and also to give me the moral standing to defend this policy with Singaporeans, I will hold my own salary at the present level for five years. The government will pay me my full salary, because that is the way the system will have to work, but for five years, whatever the increase in the salary above its present level, I will donate to suitable good causes." The following day, it was clarified that the Prime Minister had decided to do so a while ago, and that he had not been influenced by pressure arising from the announcement of the ministerial pay rise.
In 2008, the annual salary for entry-level ministers was $1,924,300. In view of the worsening economic crisis in 2008–2009, as of January 2009 the Prime Minister's salary was cut to $3.04 million, while the pay of ministerial-grade officers was reduced by 18% to $1.57 million. In November 2009 the Public Service Division announced that pay increments would be deferred for a second time in 2010 because of the uncertain economic recovery. A minister's 2009 salary of $1,494,700 per year was therefore 22% lower than what he or she received in 2008.
Persons who have reached the age of 50 years and retired as MPs and who have served in this capacity for not less than nine years may be granted a pension
for the rest of their lives. The annual amount payable is of the person's highest annual salary for every completed year of service and for every uncompleted year, up to a ceiling of two-thirds of the Member's annual salary. In addition, a retired MP who is at least 50 years old and has for not less than eight years held the office of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Senior Minister
or Minister may receive an additional pension each year of of his or her highest annual salary for each completed year of service and for each uncompleted year, subject again to a ceiling of two-thirds of the office-holder's annual salary. Members who have reached the age of 55 years and have served not less than eight years as Ministers may be granted a pension even if they have not yet ceased to hold office. No person has an absolute right to compensation for past services or to any pension or gratuity, and the President may reduce or withhold pensions and gratuities upon an MP's conviction for corruption.
and thus retired from the Cabinet. Foreign Minister George Yeo
and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua
contested Aljunied GRC
unsuccessfully, and were defeated by a team from the Workers' Party of Singapore
.
Following the election, on 14 May 2011, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong
tendered their resignations from the Cabinet, stating that they wished to give the Prime Minister a "fresh clean slate" in forming the Government and enable him to "have a completely younger team of ministers to connect to and engage with this young generation". Goh was given the honorary title of Emeritus Senior Minister; the same title was offered to Lee but he declined. Lee and Goh were appointed as senior advisers to the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
(GIC) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore
(MAS) respectively.
Four days later, on 18 May, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
announced a new Cabinet line-up. In addition to Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua, four other ministers retired: Wong Kan Seng
, Mah Bow Tan
, Lim Boon Heng
and Raymond Lim. Two ministers, Lim Hng Kiang
and Lim Swee Say
, retained their respective Trade and Industry
and Prime Minister's Office portfolios, while existing ministers were appointed to new positions in the remaining 11 ministries. S. Iswaran
, formerly Senior Minister of State for Education and for Trade and Industry, was elevated to the Cabinet as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, and Second Minister for Home Affairs
and for Trade and Industry. Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing
, both elected to Parliament for the first time, were respectively assigned the posts of Minister for Education
, and Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports
and Minister of State for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
. Heng was the first new MP directly appointed a full minister since 1984.
With effect from 21 May 2011, the Cabinet of Singapore consists of the following persons:
The names in bold are the surname
s of Chinese persons, and the personal name
s of Indian and Malay persons (except for Vivian Balakrishnan and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, where they indicate surnames as well).
Government of Singapore
The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...
(executive branch
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
) of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
together with the President of Singapore
President of Singapore
The President of the Republic of Singapore is Singapore's head of state. In a Westminster parliamentary system, as which Singapore governs itself, the prime minister is the head of the government while the position of president is largely ceremonial. Before 1993, the President of Singapore was...
. It is led by the Prime Minister of Singapore
Prime Minister of Singapore
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore appoints as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs.The office of Prime Minister...
who is the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
. The Prime Minister is a Member of Parliament
Members of the Singapore Parliament
The following is a historical list of members for the current and past ten Parliaments of Singapore:-See also:*1st Parliament of Singapore*2nd Parliament of Singapore*3rd Parliament of Singapore*4th Parliament of Singapore*5th Parliament of Singapore...
appointed by the President who selects a person that in his or her view is likely to command the confidence of a majority of the Parliament of Singapore
Parliament of Singapore
The Parliament of the Republic of Singapore and the President jointly make up the legislature of Singapore. Parliament is unicameral and is made up of Members of Parliament who are elected, as well as Non-constituency Members of Parliament and Nominated Members of Parliament who are appointed...
. The other members of the Cabinet are Ministers who are Members of Parliament appointed by the President on the Prime Minister's advice. Cabinet members are prohibited from holding any office of profit
Office of profit
An office of profit is a term used in a number of national constitutions to refer to executive appointments. A number of countries forbid members of the legislature from accepting an office of profit under the executive as a means to secure the independence of the legislature and preserve the...
and from actively engaging in any commercial enterprise.
The Cabinet generally directs and controls the Government and is collectively responsible
Cabinet collective responsibility
Cabinet collective responsibility is constitutional convention in governments using the Westminster System that members of the Cabinet must publicly support all governmental decisions made in Cabinet, even if they do not privately agree with them. This support includes voting for the government in...
to Parliament. It also has significant influence over lawmaking. Ministers may be designated by the Prime Minister to be in charge of particular ministries, or as Ministers in the Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister's Office (Singapore)
The Prime Minister's Office is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that handles the ministries and other political matters that are of great importance to the nation, such as corruption and elections. It is headed by the Prime Minister and his top political staff...
. Singapore's ministers are among the best paid in the world. As of January 2009, the Prime Minister's annual salary was S$
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
3.04 million, while the pay of ministerial-grade officers was $1.57 million.
The earliest predecessor of the Cabinet was the Executive Council of the Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
, introduced in 1877 to advise the Governor of the Straits Settlements. It wielded no executive power. In 1955, a Council of Ministers was created, made up of three ex officio Official Members and six Elected Members of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore
Legislative Assembly of Singapore
The Legislative Assembly of Singapore was the legislature of the government of Singapore from 1955 to 1965 and the predecessor of the Parliament of Singapore. The Rendel Constitution, proposed in 1953, sought to give the local population more self-governance as the Merdeka independence movement grew...
, appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Leader of the House. Following the general elections that year, David Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall was the leader of the Singapore Labour Front and became the first Chief Minister of Singapore in 1955....
became the first Chief Minister of Singapore
Chief Minister of Singapore
The Chief Minister of the state of Singapore was the head of government of the State of Singapore until its abolition on 3 June 1959.-List of Chief Ministers:...
. Constitutional talks between Legislative Assembly representatives and the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
were held from 1956 to 1958, and Singapore gained full internal self-government in 1959. The Governor was replaced by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara
Yang di-Pertuan Negara
Yang di-Pertuan Negara, meaning "Head of State" in Malay, was used as an official title at various times in Sabah, Singapore and Brunei.-Singapore:...
, who had power to appoint to the post of Prime Minister the person most likely to command the authority of the Assembly, and other Ministers of the Cabinet on the Prime Minister's advice. In the 1959 general elections, the People's Action Party
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
swept to power with 43 out of the 51 seats in the Assembly, and Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
became the first Prime Minister of Singapore. The executive branch of the Singapore Government remained unchanged following Singapore's merger with Malaysia
Singapore in Malaysia
On 16 September 1963, which was also Lee Kuan Yew's 40th birthday, Singapore merged with the Federation of Malaya alongside Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia...
in 1963, and subsequent independence in 1965.
Following the 2011 general election, a Cabinet reshuffle took place effective 21 May 2011. Lim Hng Kiang
Lim Hng Kiang
Lim Hng Kiang is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Trade and Industry. He previoulsy served as the Minister for National Development , Minister for Health , and as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office...
and Lim Swee Say
Lim Swee Say
Lim Swee Say is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently a Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress....
respectively retained their Trade and Industry
Ministry of Trade and Industry (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Trade and Industry is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation of policies related to the development of trade and industry in Singapore.-Mission:...
and Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister's Office (Singapore)
The Prime Minister's Office is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that handles the ministries and other political matters that are of great importance to the nation, such as corruption and elections. It is headed by the Prime Minister and his top political staff...
portfolios, while other ministers were given new appointments to the remaining 11 ministries. Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing
Chan Chun Sing
Chan Chun Sing is a politician from Singapore. A member of the country's governing People's Action Party , he is currently the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and a Minister of State at the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts...
, both elected to Parliament for the first time, were respectively assigned the posts of Minister for Education
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
, and Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports is a ministry of the Government of Singapore tasked with, from the government's point of view, building a "cohesive and resilient" society in Singapore.The MCYS often pursues vigorous social engineering campaigns of varying effectiveness and...
.
History
Up to the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
was part of the Crown colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
known as the Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
together with Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
and Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
. The earliest predecessor of the Cabinet was arguably the Executive Council of the Straits Settlements that was introduced in 1877 by letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
issued by the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
, though its function was very different from that of today's Cabinet. The Council, which was composed of "such persons and constituted in such manner as may be directed" by royal instructions, existed to advise the Governor of the Straits Settlements and wielded no executive power. The Governor was required to consult the Executive Council on all affairs of importance unless they were too urgent to be laid before it, or if reference to it would prejudice the public service. In such urgent cases, the Governor had to inform the Council of the measures he had taken.
George William Rendel
Sir George William Rendel was a British diplomat. Rendel, the son of the engineer George Wightwick Rendel was educated at Downside School and at Queen's College, Oxford, graduating in Modern History in 1911....
, which had been appointed to comprehensively review the constitution of the Colony of Singapore, rendered its report. Among other things, it recommended that a Council of Ministers be created, composed of three ex officio Official Members and six Elected Members of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore
Legislative Assembly of Singapore
The Legislative Assembly of Singapore was the legislature of the government of Singapore from 1955 to 1965 and the predecessor of the Parliament of Singapore. The Rendel Constitution, proposed in 1953, sought to give the local population more self-governance as the Merdeka independence movement grew...
appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Leader of the House, who would be the leader of the largest political party or coalition of parties
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
having majority support in the legislature. The recommendation was implemented in 1955. In the general election held that year, the Labour Front
Labour Front
The Labour Front was a political party in Singapore. It was founded before the 1955 legislative council elections by David Saul Marshall, Singapore's first chief minister in 1955 and Lim Yew Hock, Singapore's second chief minister...
took a majority of the seats in the Assembly, and David Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall
David Saul Marshall was the leader of the Singapore Labour Front and became the first Chief Minister of Singapore in 1955....
became the first Chief Minister of Singapore
Chief Minister of Singapore
The Chief Minister of the state of Singapore was the head of government of the State of Singapore until its abolition on 3 June 1959.-List of Chief Ministers:...
. Major problems with the Rendel Constitution were that the Chief Minister and Ministers' powers were ill defined, and that the Official Members retained control of the finance, administration, and internal security and law portfolios. This led to confrontation between Marshall, who saw himself as a Prime Minister governing the country, and the Governor, Sir John Fearns Nicoll
John Fearns Nicoll
Sir John Fearns Nicoll was a British colonial governor. He was Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1949 to 1952, and Governor of Singapore from 1952 to 1955.He died at the hospital located at Scio House, Putney Heath....
, who felt that important decisions and policies should remain with himself and the Official Members.
In 1956, members of the Legislative Assembly held constitutional talks with the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
in London. The talks broke down as Marshall did not agree to the British Government's proposal for the casting vote
Casting vote
A casting vote is a vote given to the presiding officer of a council or legislative body to resolve a deadlock and which can be exercised only when such a deadlock exists...
on a proposed Defence Council to be held by the British High Commissioner to Singapore, who would only exercise it in an emergency. Marshall resigned as Chief Minister in June 1956, and was replaced by Lim Yew Hock
Lim Yew Hock
Lim Yew Hock , later renamed Haji Omar Lim Yew Hock, was Singapore’s second Chief Minister from 1956 to 1959. He is known for suppressing the communist movements and leading the all-party delegation that won internal self-government for Singapore....
. The following year, Lim led another delegation to the UK for further talks on self-government. This time, agreement was reached on the composition of an Internal Security Council. Other constitutional arrangements were swiftly settled in 1958, and on 1 August the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
passed the State of Singapore Act 1958, granting the colony full internal self-government. Under Singapore's new constitution which came into force on 3 June 1959, the Governor was replaced by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara
Yang di-Pertuan Negara
Yang di-Pertuan Negara, meaning "Head of State" in Malay, was used as an official title at various times in Sabah, Singapore and Brunei.-Singapore:...
(Head of State), who had power to appoint as Prime Minister the person most likely to command the authority of the Legislative Assembly, and other Ministers of the Cabinet on the Prime Minister's advice. The Constitution also created the post of the British High Commissioner, who was entitled to receive the agenda of each Cabinet meeting and to see all Cabinet papers. In the 1959 general elections, the People's Action Party
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
swept to power with 43 out of the 51 seats in the Assembly, and Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
became the first Prime Minister of Singapore. Nine other Ministers were appointed to the Cabinet.
The British High Commissioner's role became that of an ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
following Singapore's independence from Britain and merger with Malaysia
Singapore in Malaysia
On 16 September 1963, which was also Lee Kuan Yew's 40th birthday, Singapore merged with the Federation of Malaya alongside Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia...
in 1963. Apart from that the executive branch of the Singapore Government remained largely unchanged, although now it governed a state within a larger federation
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
. However, with effect from 9 August 1965, Singapore left the Federation of Malaysia and became a fully independent republic. On separation from Malaysia, the Singapore Government retained its executive authority, and the executive authority of the Parliament of Malaysia
Parliament of Malaysia
The Parliament of Malaysia is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The King as the Head of State is the third component of Parliament....
ceased to extend to Singapore and vested in the Singapore Government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
, the Supreme Head of State of Malaysia, also ceased to be the Supreme Head of Singapore and relinquished his sovereignty, jurisdiction, power and authority, executive or otherwise in respect of Singapore, which revested in the Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore. The Republic of Singapore Independence Act 1965 then vested the executive authority of Singapore in the newly created post of President, and made it exercisable by him or by the Cabinet or by any Minister authorized by the Cabinet.
Structure of government
Singapore inherited a Westminster systemWestminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
of government from the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. In such systems, there is an overlap between the executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
and legislative branches
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of government. The head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, who is the President of Singapore
President of Singapore
The President of the Republic of Singapore is Singapore's head of state. In a Westminster parliamentary system, as which Singapore governs itself, the prime minister is the head of the government while the position of president is largely ceremonial. Before 1993, the President of Singapore was...
, is a member of both the executive Government of Singapore
Government of Singapore
The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...
and the Parliament of Singapore
Parliament of Singapore
The Parliament of the Republic of Singapore and the President jointly make up the legislature of Singapore. Parliament is unicameral and is made up of Members of Parliament who are elected, as well as Non-constituency Members of Parliament and Nominated Members of Parliament who are appointed...
but plays a minimal role in them. Executive power lies in the hands of the Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, which is made up of the Prime Minister of Singapore
Prime Minister of Singapore
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore appoints as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs.The office of Prime Minister...
(the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
) and other Ministers. At the same time, the Prime Minister and Ministers are also Members of Parliament
Members of the Singapore Parliament
The following is a historical list of members for the current and past ten Parliaments of Singapore:-See also:*1st Parliament of Singapore*2nd Parliament of Singapore*3rd Parliament of Singapore*4th Parliament of Singapore*5th Parliament of Singapore...
(MPs).
Following constitutional reforms in 1991, the office of President was transformed from an appointed to an elected post. Thus, both the President and MPs are elected to their posts by the citizens of Singapore
Singaporean nationality law
Singaporean nationality law is derived from the Constitution of Singapore and is based on jus sanguinis and a modified form of jus soli...
in separate elections
Elections in Singapore
There are currently two types of elections in Singapore: parliamentary and presidential elections.While the Constitution of Singapore does not specify exactly when elections need to be held, Parliamentary or General Elections are generally 5 years apart, while Presidential elections are generally...
.
Appointment of Cabinet
The President also appoints other Ministers to the Cabinet from among the MPs, acting in accordance with the Prime Minister's advice. Any MP, including a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament
Non-Constituency Member of Parliament
Non-Constituency Members of Parliament are members of the opposition parties who are appointed as members of the Parliament of Singapore even though they had lost in the parliamentary election....
(NCMP) or a Nominated Member of Parliament
Nominated Member of Parliament
A Nominated Member of Parliament is a Member of the Parliament of Singapore who is appointed instead of being elected into office by the people, and who does not belong to any political party or represent any constituency. There are currently nine NMPs in Parliament...
(NMP), may be appointed a Minister. Thus it is possible for a person who was not elected by voters to be appointed by Parliament as an NMP, then by the President as a Minister. In 1990, then Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
said in Parliament: "I would rather that a government has the flexibility to appoint the right person to be the minister for finance, than to compel that government to select from whoever is available in the House." However, he added that the Government had no intention to appoint a Cabinet minister from among the NMPs at that time. In May 2009, MP Hri Kumar
Hri Kumar
Hri Kumar Sangaran is a Member of Parliament of Singapore, representing the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.Hri studied in National Junior College and then National University of Singapore for his tertiary education. Hri is currently also a director at Drew & Napier. He was appointed Senior Counsel in...
proposed during a Parliamentary debate that this stand be reconsidered as the Prime Minister would be able to draw on the experience of many capable Singaporeans. He expressed the view that this would not offend democratic principles. Singapore's Parliamentary system placed more weight on the party in power rather than individual MPs, and "Parliamentarians must still win the support from the ground and, ultimately, the PM and the ruling party and his Cabinet team will still be answerable to the electorate at elections." Critics have commented that adopting the practice would disenchant Singaporeans, deepen the already parochial
Parochialism
Parochialism means being provincial, being narrow in scope, or considering only small sections of an issue. It may, particularly when used pejoratively, be contrasted to universalism....
political culture, and lead to a lack of accountability and legitimacy.
Before entering on the duties of their office, the Prime Minister and other Ministers must take and subscribe (sign) the Oath of Allegiance and an oath for the due execution of their offices before the President. The Oath of Allegiance reads as follows:
The oath for the due execution of the office of Prime Minister or a Minister is as follows:
Cabinet members are prohibited from holding any office of profit
Office of profit
An office of profit is a term used in a number of national constitutions to refer to executive appointments. A number of countries forbid members of the legislature from accepting an office of profit under the executive as a means to secure the independence of the legislature and preserve the...
or actively engaging in any commercial enterprise. In addition, they are required to comply with a Code of Conduct for Ministers. For example, to counter potential allegations of corruption and unexplained wealth and to avoid potential conflicts between private interests and public responsibilities, the Code requires every Minister, upon appointment to office, to disclose in confidence to the President through the Prime Minister all sources of income other than his salary as a Minister and as an MP. This must include all assets, such as financial assets, real property, interests in any company or professional practice, and any other substantial personal assets as well as financial liabilities, including mortgages and borrowings. A Minister must also "scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests". Thus, a Minister is not permitted to accept any favour of any kind from persons in negotiation with, or seeking to obtain any licence or enter into any contractual relations with, the Government, or to use official information that comes to him as a Minister for his own private profit or the profit of any family member or associate.
Vacation of office
The President must declare the office of Prime Minister vacant if the Prime Minister resigns his office, or if the President, acting in his discretion, is satisfied that the Prime Minister has ceased to command the confidence of a majority of the MPs. In the latter situation, the President is required first to inform the Prime Minister of his evaluation in this regard, and if the Prime Minister requests him to, the President may dissolve ParliamentDissolution of parliament
In parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.Usually there is a maximum length of a legislature, and a dissolution must happen before the maximum time...
instead of making a declaration of vacancy. A general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
must be held within three months after the dissolution of Parliament. This gives the former Prime Minister the opportunity to consolidate support by receiving a fresh mandate at the polls.
At present, it is not clear what evidence the President may rely on to be satisfied that the Prime Minister has ceased to command the confidence of a majority of MPs, as the Singapore courts
Judicial system of Singapore
The full Judicial power in Singapore is vested in the Supreme Court as well as subordinate courts by the Constitution of Singapore. The Supreme Court consists of the Court of Appeal and the High Court. The Court of Appeal exercises appellate criminal and civil jurisdiction, while the High Court...
have not yet had to decide the issue. In the Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
case of Stephen Kalong Ningkan v. Tun Abang Haji Openg, decided on provisions similar to those in the Singapore Constitution, the court found that the phrase ceased to command the confidence of a majority of the Members of Parliament was a term of art
Technical terminology
Technical terminology is the specialized vocabulary of any field, not just technical fields. The same is true of the synonyms technical terms, terms of art, shop talk and words of art, which do not necessarily refer to technology or art...
which had to be signified by a formal vote of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
taken by the legislature. In contrast, a Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
court held in Datuk Amir Kahar v. Tun Mohd Said bin Keruak, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sabah that loss of confidence could be assessed on the basis of evidence other than a legislative vote. This might include, for instance, media reports or letters addressed to the President.
Other Cabinet ministers must vacate their office if they resign, or if their appointments are revoked by the President acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. A person who has vacated his or her office as Minister may, if qualified, be subsequently appointed again as a Minister.
The Prime Minister and other Ministers who make up the Cabinet do not vacate their offices upon a dissolution of Parliament, but continue in their posts until the first sitting of the next Parliament following a general election.
Responsibilities and remuneration
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
agenda of Parliament is determined by the Cabinet. At the start of each new Parliamentary session, the President gives an address prepared by the Cabinet that outlines what the Cabinet intends to achieve in the session.
Under the Constitution, the Cabinet is collectively responsible
Cabinet collective responsibility
Cabinet collective responsibility is constitutional convention in governments using the Westminster System that members of the Cabinet must publicly support all governmental decisions made in Cabinet, even if they do not privately agree with them. This support includes voting for the government in...
to Parliament. In theory, Parliament acts as a check on the power of the Cabinet as Ministers are required to justify their actions and policies upon being questioned by MPs. However, in Singapore this is a weak check because the ruling People's Action Party
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
holds a large Parliamentary majority, and party members who are MPs are required by party discipline
Party discipline
Party discipline is the ability of a parliamentary group of a political party to get its members to support the policies of their party leadership. In liberal democracies, it usually refers to the control that party leaders have over its legislature...
to vote according to the party Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
's instructions.
The Cabinet may not be summoned except by the authority of the Prime Minister. As far as is practicable, the Prime Minister is required to attend and preside at Cabinet meetings, but in his absence he may appoint another Minister to preside.
Whenever the Prime Minister is ill, absent from Singapore, or has been granted leave of absence from his duties, the functions conferred on him by the Constitution are exercisable by any other Minister authorized by the President. In general, the President must act in accordance with the Prime Minister's advice in appointing a Minister for this purpose. However, the President may act in his own discretion if in his opinion it is impracticable to obtain the advice of the Prime Minister due to his illness or absence.
Responsibilities of Ministers
The Prime Minister may, by giving written directions, charge any Minister with responsibility for any department or subject. In practice, this is done by issuing notifications that are published in the Government Gazette. For instance, the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Responsibility of Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, Prime Minister's Office) Notification 2009 states:Ministers may be designated by the Prime Minister to be in charge of particular ministries, or as Ministers in the Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister's Office (Singapore)
The Prime Minister's Office is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that handles the ministries and other political matters that are of great importance to the nation, such as corruption and elections. It is headed by the Prime Minister and his top political staff...
. Such Ministers were formerly known as Ministers without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
.
The Prime Minister may retain any department or subject in his charge.
Remuneration
In 1994, Prime Minister Goh Chok TongGoh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
received a monthly salary of nearly S$
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
96,000 (about $1.15 million a year), while other ministers earned about $48,900 a month ($586,800 a year). This made them among the highest paid government ministers in the world. In October that year, the Government issued a white paper entitled Competitive Salaries for Competent & Honest Government which proposed that the salaries of ministers and civil servants
Singapore Civil Service
The Singapore Civil Service is the set of civil servants working for the Government of Singapore. Many of its principles were inherited from the administrative system left by the British Civil Service, as Singapore was once a British colony....
be pegged at two-thirds the average principal earned income of the top four earners in six professions: accounting, banking, engineering, law, local manufacturing firms and multinational corporations. These professions were chosen because their top members had general management skills which ministers also had to have. According to the white paper, the one-third "discount" would be "a visible demonstration of the sacrifice involved in becoming a minister". Although "[s]alaries should never be the motivation for persons to become ministers", the financial sacrifice had to be minimized if outstanding and committed Singaporeans were to be encouraged to take on the "risks and public responsibilities of a political career". The benchmark would also be used to determine the pay of the President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney-General, Chairman of the Public Service Commission
Public Service Commission (Singapore)
The Public Service Commission , Singapore , is constituted under Part IX of the Constitution of Singapore and its constitutional role is to appoint, confirm, promote, transfer, dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over public officers in Singapore.The PSC also retains two key...
and judges.
Following Parliamentary approval of the white paper in November 1994, the Government established an independent panel to examine the benchmark for the Prime Minister's salary. The panel's report, released in January 1995, recommended that the benchmark be about $1.6 million a year, but said it would be reasonable for the Prime Minister to be paid $2.4 million in view of his heavy responsibilities. The Government said that in three years it planned to raise the pay of the Prime Minister to $1.46 million and that of ministers to 60% of the benchmark, and in the "longer term" to $1.6 million and two-thirds of the benchmark respectively.
In February 1996 it was reported that a survey of 19 countries by the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
magazine World Link had found that political leaders and senior civil servants of Singapore had the highest salaries. The pay of the Singapore Prime Minister (S$1.1 million, or US$812,858) was almost five times the average pay of the chief political executives of the nations surveyed (US$168,291). Senior civil servants were paid US$292,714, almost three times their counterparts' average pay.
In August 2000, in view of the Singapore economy's growth of almost 10% led by a rapid increase in exports, the salary of the Prime Minister was increased by 14% and those of other ministers by 12%. In response to public disquiet, Goh Chok Tong said that, spread across the population, the rises amounted to about $11 per person, equivalent to "about five plates of char kway teow
Char kway teow
Char kway teow, literally "stir-fried ricecake strips", is a popular noodle dish in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore. The dish was typically prepared at hawker stalls especially in Penang, Malaysia.It is made from flat rice noodles of approximately 1 cm or...
[fried noodles with cockles
Cockle (bivalve)
Cockle is the common name for a group of small, edible, saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae.Various species of cockles live in sandy sheltered beaches throughout the world....
] per Singaporean". Subsequently, in late 2001, when Singapore experienced its worst recession in a generation
Early 2000s recession
The early 2000s recession was a decline in economic activity which occurred mainly in developed countries. The recession affected the European Union mostly during 2000 and 2001 and the United States mostly in 2002 and 2003. The UK, Canada and Australia avoided the recession for the most part, while...
, ministerial pay was reduced by more than 17%. Nonetheless, it was reported that the prime minister still earned a gross annual salary of about $1.03 million before the variable component was taken into account.
In April 2007, the Prime Minister's annual salary increased to S$3.1 million (US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2.05 million), about five times that of the then President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
who earned US$400,000. The annual entry-level salary for ministers increased from $1.2 million to $1.6 million, and was projected to rise to 88% of the private sector benchmark by the end of 2008. Almost half of ministers' pay packages was made up of an individual performance bonus decided by the Prime Minister, and a variable bonus component based on the country's prevailing gross domestic product
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
and capped at eight months of each minister's annual salary. The pay increases were justified by the Government on the grounds that the salaries had to keep pace with those in the private sector to attract the best talent and to avoid corruption. Teo Chee Hean
Teo Chee Hean
Teo Chee Hean is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, and a Member of Parliament for the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group...
, the Minister for Defence
Ministry of Defence (Singapore)
The Ministry of Defence is a ministry of the Government of Singapore entrusted with overseeing the national defence needs of the Republic of Singapore. It is the headquarters of the Singapore Armed Forces...
and minister in charge of the civil service, was reported as saying: "We don't want pay to be the reason for people to join [the government]. But we also don't want pay to be the reason for them not to join us, or to leave after joining us." The increases sparked much debate both in and out of Parliament, with many people seeing ministerial pay as already being too high. During a Parliamentary debate on the issue, Nominated Member of Parliament
Nominated Member of Parliament
A Nominated Member of Parliament is a Member of the Parliament of Singapore who is appointed instead of being elected into office by the people, and who does not belong to any political party or represent any constituency. There are currently nine NMPs in Parliament...
Thio Li-ann
Thio Li-ann
Thio Li-ann is a Singaporean law professor at the National University of Singapore. She was educated at the University of Oxford, Harvard Law School and the University of Cambridge. In January 2007, she was appointed a Nominated Member of Parliament in Singapore's 11th Parliament.-Early life and...
said: "It would be a sad indictment of my generation if no one came forward to serve without excessive monetary inducement, as to be bereft of deep convictions is to be impoverished indeed." On 11 April 2007, the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew....
told Parliament: "To make it quite clear why I am doing this, and also to give me the moral standing to defend this policy with Singaporeans, I will hold my own salary at the present level for five years. The government will pay me my full salary, because that is the way the system will have to work, but for five years, whatever the increase in the salary above its present level, I will donate to suitable good causes." The following day, it was clarified that the Prime Minister had decided to do so a while ago, and that he had not been influenced by pressure arising from the announcement of the ministerial pay rise.
In 2008, the annual salary for entry-level ministers was $1,924,300. In view of the worsening economic crisis in 2008–2009, as of January 2009 the Prime Minister's salary was cut to $3.04 million, while the pay of ministerial-grade officers was reduced by 18% to $1.57 million. In November 2009 the Public Service Division announced that pay increments would be deferred for a second time in 2010 because of the uncertain economic recovery. A minister's 2009 salary of $1,494,700 per year was therefore 22% lower than what he or she received in 2008.
Persons who have reached the age of 50 years and retired as MPs and who have served in this capacity for not less than nine years may be granted a pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
for the rest of their lives. The annual amount payable is of the person's highest annual salary for every completed year of service and for every uncompleted year, up to a ceiling of two-thirds of the Member's annual salary. In addition, a retired MP who is at least 50 years old and has for not less than eight years held the office of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Senior Minister
Senior Minister
Senior Minister is a political office in the political system of Singapore taken by a prime minister or senior cabinet minister when he or she retires from that office, but still has something to offer the government based on his or her long experience...
or Minister may receive an additional pension each year of of his or her highest annual salary for each completed year of service and for each uncompleted year, subject again to a ceiling of two-thirds of the office-holder's annual salary. Members who have reached the age of 55 years and have served not less than eight years as Ministers may be granted a pension even if they have not yet ceased to hold office. No person has an absolute right to compensation for past services or to any pension or gratuity, and the President may reduce or withhold pensions and gratuities upon an MP's conviction for corruption.
Current Cabinet
At the 2011 general election, Senior Minister Shunmugam Jayakumar did not contest his seat as part of the East Coast Group Representation ConstituencyEast Coast Group Representation Constituency
East Coast Group Representation Constituency is a five-member Group Representation Constituency in the eastern area of Singapore. The areas of the Group Representation Constituency consists of East Coast, Bedok, Changi-Simei, Fengshan, Siglap, Kampong Chai Chee and offshore islands of Pulau...
and thus retired from the Cabinet. Foreign Minister George Yeo
George Yeo
George Yeo Yong-Boon is a former politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he served in the Cabinet from 1991 to 2011 as the Minister for Information and the Arts , Minister for Health , Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister for Foreign Affairs...
and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua
Lim Hwee Hua
Lim Hwee Hua was a Singaporean politician, who was formerly the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and appointed concurrently as Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Transport.-Early career:...
contested Aljunied GRC
Aljunied Group Representation Constituency
Aljunied Group Representation Constituency is a five-member group representation constituency in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The GRC consists of a large part of Hougang, Serangoon Gardens, a portion of Bedok and Aljunied...
unsuccessfully, and were defeated by a team from the Workers' Party of Singapore
Workers' Party of Singapore
The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
.
Following the election, on 14 May 2011, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
tendered their resignations from the Cabinet, stating that they wished to give the Prime Minister a "fresh clean slate" in forming the Government and enable him to "have a completely younger team of ministers to connect to and engage with this young generation". Goh was given the honorary title of Emeritus Senior Minister; the same title was offered to Lee but he declined. Lee and Goh were appointed as senior advisers to the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Private Limited is a sovereign wealth fund established by the Government of Singapore in 1981 to manage Singapore's foreign reserves...
(GIC) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore
Monetary Authority of Singapore
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is Singapore's central bank and financial regulatory authority...
(MAS) respectively.
Four days later, on 18 May, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew....
announced a new Cabinet line-up. In addition to Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua, four other ministers retired: Wong Kan Seng
Wong Kan Seng
Wong Kan Seng is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he served as the country's Deputy Prime Minister from 2005 to 2011...
, Mah Bow Tan
Mah Bow Tan
Mah Bow Tan is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently a Member of Parliament representing the Tampines Group Representation Constituency...
, Lim Boon Heng
Lim Boon Heng
Lim Boon Heng is a politician from Singapore. He is currently the Chairman of Singapore's governing People's Action Party . He is also the Deputy Chairman of the People's Association, and was formerly the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress...
and Raymond Lim. Two ministers, Lim Hng Kiang
Lim Hng Kiang
Lim Hng Kiang is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Trade and Industry. He previoulsy served as the Minister for National Development , Minister for Health , and as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office...
and Lim Swee Say
Lim Swee Say
Lim Swee Say is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently a Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress....
, retained their respective Trade and Industry
Ministry of Trade and Industry (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Trade and Industry is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation of policies related to the development of trade and industry in Singapore.-Mission:...
and Prime Minister's Office portfolios, while existing ministers were appointed to new positions in the remaining 11 ministries. S. Iswaran
S. Iswaran
S. Iswaran is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he currently serves in the Cabinet as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Trade and Industry...
, formerly Senior Minister of State for Education and for Trade and Industry, was elevated to the Cabinet as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, and Second Minister for Home Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore)
The Ministry of Home Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for public safety, civil defence and immigration. It is also known as the Home Team. It is headed by the Minister for Home Affairs....
and for Trade and Industry. Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing
Chan Chun Sing
Chan Chun Sing is a politician from Singapore. A member of the country's governing People's Action Party , he is currently the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and a Minister of State at the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts...
, both elected to Parliament for the first time, were respectively assigned the posts of Minister for Education
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
, and Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports is a ministry of the Government of Singapore tasked with, from the government's point of view, building a "cohesive and resilient" society in Singapore.The MCYS often pursues vigorous social engineering campaigns of varying effectiveness and...
and Minister of State for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts is a ministry of the Government of Singapore...
. Heng was the first new MP directly appointed a full minister since 1984.
With effect from 21 May 2011, the Cabinet of Singapore consists of the following persons:
| Portfolio | Minister | Portrait |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister Prime Minister of Singapore The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore appoints as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs.The office of Prime Minister... |
Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.... |
|
| Deputy Prime Minister Acting Prime Minister in the Prime Minister's absence Co-ordinating Minister for National Security Co-ordinating Minister for National Security Co-ordinating Minister for National Security is an appointment in the Cabinet of Singapore, currently held by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.... Minister for Home Affairs Minister for Home Affairs (Singapore) The Minister for Home Affairs is an appointment in the Cabinet of Singapore. Formed in 1970, it replaced the post of Minister for the Interior and Defence with the split of the Ministry of the Interior and Defence into the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs.... Minister in Charge of the Civil Service |
Teo Chee Hean Teo Chee Hean Teo Chee Hean is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, and a Member of Parliament for the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group... |
|
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Finance Minister for Finance (Singapore) The Minister for Finance is an appointment in the Cabinet of Singapore and heads the Ministry of Finance. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was Second Minister for Finance, took over the ministership on 2007-12-01 when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong relinquished the Finance post .... Minister for Manpower Ministry of Manpower (Singapore) The Ministry of Manpower is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to manpower in Singapore.-Mission:... |
Tharman Shanmugaratnam Tharman Shanmugaratnam Tharman Shanmugaratnam is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance and Minister for Manpower. He previously served as the Minister for Education from 2003 to 2008... |
|
| Minister for Trade and Industry Ministry of Trade and Industry (Singapore) The Ministry Of Trade and Industry is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation of policies related to the development of trade and industry in Singapore.-Mission:... |
Lim Hng Kiang Lim Hng Kiang Lim Hng Kiang is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Trade and Industry. He previoulsy served as the Minister for National Development , Minister for Health , and as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office... |
 |
| Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Prime Minister's Office (Singapore) The Prime Minister's Office is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that handles the ministries and other political matters that are of great importance to the nation, such as corruption and elections. It is headed by the Prime Minister and his top political staff... |
Lim Swee Say Lim Swee Say Lim Swee Say is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently a Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress.... |
|
| Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs is a position in the Cabinet of Singapore that oversees policies and issues related to the Muslim community in Singapore. In 1977, Dr. Ahmad Mattar was appointed Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs. Previously, there were no minister with a reference to Muslim... |
Yaacob Ibrahim Yaacob Ibrahim Yaacob bin Ibrahim is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.-Education and early career:Yaacob graduated from the University of... |
|
| Minister for National Development Ministry of National Development (Singapore) The Ministry of National Development is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to land use planning and infrastructure development... |
Khaw Boon Wan Khaw Boon Wan Khaw Boon Wan is a politician from Singapore. He is currently the country's Minister for National Development and the Chairman of the governing People's Action Party . He was previously the Minister for Health from August 2004 to May 2011... |
 |
| Minister for Defence |
Ng Eng Hen Ng Eng Hen Dr Ng Eng Hen is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Defence and Leader of the House.-Early life:Ng was born in Singapore in 1958... |
|
| Minister for the Environment and Water Resources | Vivian Balakrishnan Vivian Balakrishnan Vivian Balakrishnan is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.... |
|
| Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs (Singapore) The Minister for Foreign Affairs is head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a member of the Cabinet of Singapore.... Minister for Law Ministry of Law (Singapore) The Ministry of Law is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for ensuring that Singapore's legal infrastructure is clear, efficacious and transparent... |
K. Shanmugam K. Shanmugam Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam better known as "K Shanmugam", is a Tamil Indian politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law... |
|
| Minister for Health Ministry of Health (Singapore) The Ministry of Health is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for providing information, raising health awareness and education, ensuring the accessibility of health services, and monitoring the quality of health services provided to citizens and visitors in the Republic of... |
Gan Kim Yong Gan Kim Yong Gan Kim Yong is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Health.-Education and early career:... |
|
| Minister for Transport Ministry of Transport (Singapore) The Ministry of Transport is a ministry in the Government of Singapore that administers and regulates land, sea and air transportation within the republic’s jurisdiction.... Second Minister for Foreign Affairs |
Lui Tuck Yew Lui Tuck Yew Lui Tuck Yew is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Transport Minister and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs... |
|
| Minister in Prime Minister's Office Second Minister for Home Affairs Second Minister for Trade and Industry |
S. Iswaran S. Iswaran S. Iswaran is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he currently serves in the Cabinet as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Trade and Industry... |
|
| Minister for Education Ministry of Education (Singapore) The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:... |
Heng Swee Keat | |
| Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports is a ministry of the Government of Singapore tasked with, from the government's point of view, building a "cohesive and resilient" society in Singapore.The MCYS often pursues vigorous social engineering campaigns of varying effectiveness and... Minister of State for Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (not a Cabinet appointment) |
Chan Chun Sing Chan Chun Sing Chan Chun Sing is a politician from Singapore. A member of the country's governing People's Action Party , he is currently the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and a Minister of State at the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts... |
The names in bold are the surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
s of Chinese persons, and the personal name
Personal name
A personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...
s of Indian and Malay persons (except for Vivian Balakrishnan and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, where they indicate surnames as well).
See also
- Cabinet (government)Cabinet (government)A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
- Government of SingaporeGovernment of SingaporeThe Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...
- List of past members of the Government of Singapore
- Parliament of SingaporeParliament of SingaporeThe Parliament of the Republic of Singapore and the President jointly make up the legislature of Singapore. Parliament is unicameral and is made up of Members of Parliament who are elected, as well as Non-constituency Members of Parliament and Nominated Members of Parliament who are appointed...