The fourth-generation leadership team is in "complete unity" behind Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat's leadership, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday.
Saying he was speaking on behalf of the fourth-generation leadership team, Dr Balakrishnan said: "We are - all of us - in complete unity behind the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, so there's no need for any discussions or questions on that. We are in absolute unity under his leadership."
DPM Heng, who was chosen by his peers to be their leader - in an announcement first made in November 2018 - is expected to take over when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong steps down.
Asked about the new Cabinet line-up announced by the Prime Minister on Saturday, Dr Balakrishnan reiterated PM Lee's points that the reshuffle "reflects the need for continuity, the need for rotation, and the need for renewal".
"And if you look carefully at the composition and in fact at the moves that the Prime Minister has made, it reflects all these three priorities," he added.
Dr Balakrishnan's remarks came in the wake of comments about the People's Action Party's succession plan at a press conference on Saturday during which PM Lee announced his new Cabinet line-up. Some observers had earlier cast a question mark over the plan, citing the vote share Mr Heng's slate in East Coast GRC got in the election and the disruption posed by Covid-19.
Responding to a question on whether the 4G leaders had discussed or reviewed their position backing Mr Heng as their leader, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, Mr Heng's deputy on the 4G team, said on Saturday that they had not discussed this - and did not plan to.
"We're entirely focused on helping our country overcome the economic challenges and saving jobs at this point in time," he said.
"We have no plans to do otherwise and we have no plans, no discussion on any change in plan."
There are fewer ministerial movements this time, compared with the reshuffle after the 2011 General Election.
Just six of the 15 government ministries are getting a new minister, while top leadership changes were made to 11 out of the 14 ministries in the Cabinet reshuffle that followed GE2011.
Fourth-generation leaders taking on new portfolios include Mr Lawrence Wong, who will be Education Minister; Mr Desmond Lee, who will take Mr Wong's place as National Development Minister; and Mr Ong Ye Kung, who will relinquish the Education portfolio to become Transport Minister.
Mr Heng is taking on an additional appointment as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies.
Besides Dr Balakrishnan, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen is one of those who retained their portfolio. Dr Ng said yesterday that he sees his appointment as a continuity to take Singapore through the pandemic.
"This is, for Singapore, an existential threat that is life and death, not just for individuals but for our nation. So we will take it as a continuity and we want to build a strong defence to protect our future," he said.
Dr Ng was elected to Parliament in 2001 and was the Second Minister for Defence from 2005 before he was appointed Defence Minister in 2011. "I'm familiar with the challenges and I thank the Prime Minister and other Cabinet colleagues for the confidence. We must do the best we can, whether it's the ministers, the officials or the rank-and-file soldiers," he added.
A few others wrote about their change of responsibilities on Facebook. Mr Wong, who moves from the National Development Ministry to Education, recounted how ensuring more affordable and accessible housing was a major priority five years ago. Since then, he said, the Government has, among other things, built more flats with shorter waiting times and improved housing access to vulnerable groups.
"This work of building a better Singapore is never complete and takes time. You can't see the results in one electoral term. But over many years, and working together, we can build more endearing homes, and a greener and more liveable city."
Ms Indranee Rajah, who will retain her post as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and will also serve as Second Minister for National Development and Finance, said on Facebook yesterday that it was difficult for her to leave the Ministry of Education and the colleagues she had there.
She had been Second Minister for Education since 2018. She said the ministry's new leadership is a "great team".
"I have every confidence that you will accomplish much together," she said to her former colleagues.
- Additional reporting by Ng Keng Gene
