SINGAPORE - With four backbenchers becoming office-holders after a Cabinet reshuffle last week, three People's Action Party (PAP) Government Parliamentary Committees (GPC) have new leaders.

Pioneer MP Cedric Foo has taken over as chairman of the Communications and Information GPC from Mr Zaqy Mohamad, while MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling is now deputy chairman of the same committee, in place of Ms Sun Xueling, the PAP said on Friday (May 4).

Both Mr Zaqy, a Chua Chu Kang GRC MP, and Ms Sun, a Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP, were moved to the frontbench earlier on Tuesday.

Mr Zaqy, a former Ernst and Young partner, is now Minister of State for National Development and Manpower, while Ms Sun, previously chief executive of the non-profit Business China, is Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development.

Two other GPCs have new deputy chairmen as a result of last week's announcement.

Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai replaces Marine Parade GRC MP Edwin Tong in the Home Affairs and Law GPC, while Jurong GRC MP Rahayu Mahzam replaces Ms Tin in Social and Family Development.

Mr Tong, a senior counsel, will leave Allen & Gledhill to be Senior Minister of State for Law and Health from July 1.

Dr Tan Wu Meng of Jurong GRC, the fourth backbencher-turned-office-holder, no longer sits on the Health, Finance as well as Trade and Industry GPCs. He is now Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs as well as Trade and Industry.

Besides the leadership changes, the titles of some committees were also amended to make their scope clearer.

The Communications and Information GPC, for example, now includes Smart Nation, while the Environment and Water Resources GPC will also look into climate change.

The GPCs were set up by the PAP in 1987 to scrutinise the legislation and programmes of the various ministries. They also serve as an additional channel of feedback on government policies.

These changes take effect next Monday, a PAP spokesman said, in line with the President's Address.