A NEW SENIOR MINISTER

On Wednesday, Mr Wong also announced that Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam would be appointed senior minister, while still retaining his home affairs portfolio.

Observers said that given his experience and seniority, becoming senior minister was the natural next step. 

Mr Shanmugam's new appointment is unprecedented on a couple of fronts: He will be the first senior minister to helm a ministry, as well as the first to take on the role without having served as deputy prime minister or prime minister. 

“He is clearly of senior minister quality given how much he has contributed,” said Dr Felix Tan.

Dr Tan Ern Ser said the appointment is not unexpected, as Mr Shanmugam, 67, is from an older cohort and already a coordinating minister.

Experts were divided over Mr Shanmugam’s retaining of the home affairs portfolio, with some viewing it as an inability to find a successor and others seeing it as intentional.

“In the current volatile international environment, it is possible that there is a desire to not change things up too much for the Ministry of Home Affairs,” said Dr Teo.

Dr Felix Tan, however, said he thinks there is no one ready with the tenacity and gravitas to take on the home affairs portfolio, given its nature.

“It is not a soft politics kind of thing, it is about security issues,” he said. “What is worrying is, if no one else is capable of taking over, then how long can we keep Shanmugam?”

Mr Singh said Mr Shanmugam remains the best person to helm the ministry as younger ministers may not yet be ready to step up, adding that “it would be big shoes to fill”.

Noting that the home affairs ministry now has two second ministers, with the promotion of Ms Sim Ann, Dr Felix Tan said: “In the longer term, one can hope either of them can take over, and if they are deemed the best people at this point in time, they will have the chance to prove that they are.”

He emphasised, however, that “they are not necessarily frontrunners to succeed Shanmugam”.

Observers added that it also does not matter that Mr Shanmugam never held the deputy prime minister role, something past senior ministers had typically held before progressing up the ranks.

RETURN OF NG CHEE MENG

Another key move in Mr Wong’s reshuffle, the return of National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) chief Ng Chee Meng to Cabinet, was expected, said observers.

Mr Ng will become a minister in the Prime Minister's Office, a role he last held until he left parliament following the 2020 General Election.

Prior to the 2020 GE, Mr Ng had served in the Cabinet for five years. 

“It was a question of when rather than whether Ng would return to Cabinet. He didn’t contest in last year’s GE to be a backbencher,” said Assoc Prof Eugene Tan.

“Moreover, the labour movement has not had their labour chief represented in Cabinet since 2020. Ng’s appointment seeks to signal and underscore that the government has the workers’ interests at heart.”

With concerns over jobs and livelihoods remaining and stakeholders turning to tripartism in an AI-pervasive future, Mr Ng has his work cut out for him, Assoc Prof Tan added.

“This is an opportunity for Ng to establish his political credentials after a lacklustre GE performance last year.” 

Dr Felix Tan agreed that Mr Ng’s return was expected and “just a matter of time”, adding that Mr Ng has shown he is ready to step up to the role.

He added that Mr Ng has managed to improve his communication during his time as labour chief, where connecting with people on the ground is a frequent occurrence.

Mr Singh noted that Mr Ng’s experience would also be valuable at a time when the Cabinet has just lost two senior ministers of state in Dr Koh and Assoc Prof Faishal.

“Given however that Mr Ng had previously been minister of education, minister in the PMO and second minister for transport, he has taken on higher-level responsibilities than (Dr Koh and Assoc Prof Faishal) and therefore has been more proven at the senior office holder level,” he said.