Edwin Tong to take over as PA deputy chairman

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong will be appointed deputy chairman of the People's Association (PA), as one of several office-holders who will take on new or additional responsibilities after the Cabinet reshuffle.

He will take over the post from Mr Chan Chun Sing, who has held it since October 2015.

Mr Chan will be the new Education Minister, and will relinquish his trade and industry portfolio.

Asked about the considerations behind the move during a news conference yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that Mr Chan has been in charge of the PA for more than five years and will have his hands full at the Education Ministry.

"He is also covering several other additional responsibilities, including the PSD (Public Service Division) as well as party work, so I felt that it was better to spread the duties out," he said.

PM Lee said that he is putting Mr Tong in charge of the PA as there is synergy between the work of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the PA.

Echoing this in a Facebook post, Mr Tong said MCCY as well as the National Integration Council and the Chinese Community Liaison Group, which he oversees, have "people at the core of our mission".

He said he looked forward to building on the good work of Mr Chan, noting that PA had worked hard to bring the community closer together.

Other ministers taking on additional responsibilities include Mrs Josephine Teo, who will relinquish her appointment as Manpower Minister.

She will be Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Cyber Security, taking over both posts from Mr S. Iswaran.

In addition, Mrs Teo will be Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, taking over from Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

Dr Tan See Leng, who is currently Second Minister for Manpower, will helm the Manpower Ministry and will give up the post of Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.

Mr Iswaran will take over the Transport Ministry from Mr Ong Ye Kung, who will take over the Health Ministry.

Along with these appointments, Mr Iswaran will remain the Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, while Mr Ong will be in charge of ageing issues.

Ms Sim Ann will relinquish her appointment as Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, and will be appointed Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, taking over the role from Mr Chee Hong Tat.

She will retain her post as Senior Minister of State for National Development.

Mr Chee will continue to be Senior Minister of State for Transport.

He will also join the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), taking over from Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon, who has stepped down as NTUC deputy secretary-general to return to government service full time.

Dr Koh will also be appointed Senior Minister of State for Manpower.

Minister of State Tan Kiat How will take on the communications and information portfolio, in addition to his existing national development portfolio. He will relinquish his appointment as Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office.

Ms Rahayu Mahzam, who is Parliamentary Secretary for Health, will take on an additional appointment as Parliamentary Secretary for Communications and Information.