The announcement of the new Cabinet drew a wave of letters.

Mr Ho Kong Loon lauded the new line-up and expressed his high expectations of the new office-holders. But he also urged Singaporeans to partner the leaders, and support and motivate the new ministers, rather than jeer at them, during missteps.

Ms Fong Hang Yin appealed to Singaporeans to give new Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan the time and space to do the challenging job well.

Dr Patrick Liew Siow Gian lamented the small number of women in the Cabinet, and appealed for more to be done to groom more women for such positions.

However, Mr Lee Teck Chuan said that perhaps the reason for there not being more women in politics, and elsewhere in society, is that they prefer to stay at home as full-time mothers. He added that society should be focused on supporting women in their decisions, whether it is to work or to stay at home, rather than ensuring greater representation of women at the workplace.

For Mr Ace Kindredzen Cheong, that Ms Grace Fu has been appointed the first woman to helm her own ministry, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, is already a step forward, and he looks forward to more such moves.

Here are some of these letters:

Important to support, motivate new ministers

Give Khaw Boon Wan time to do the job well

Support, groom more women for Cabinet posts

Aim to support women's choices

to be published in print on Saturday: Woman helming ministry a step forward