New Singapore ministers to coordinate across agencies

Singapore has appointed three ministers to coordinate on complex issues that cut across the government. “We face more complex challenges and new issues that cut across multiple domains.

Therefore, I have appointed Coordinating Ministers to oversee work in three major areas,” said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the swearing in of Singapore’s new Cabinet on 1 October.

The three areas are national security, economic and social policies, and infrastructure. They “require fresh and bold ideas, careful balancing of different goals, and close coordination across multiple agencies”, Prime Minister Lee said.

“We can work together, think long-term, and focus the efforts of the whole government, indeed of the whole nation, to take Singa­pore forward,” he said. The Coordinating Ministers are:

• Mr Teo Chee Hean - Coordinating Minister for National Security
• Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam - Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies
• Mr Khaw Boon Wan - Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure