Singapore yesterday swore in Lawrence Wong (黃循財) as the city-state’s new prime minister in a ceremony broadcast live on television after Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍) stepped down following two decades in office.
Wong, formerly deputy prime minister, was inaugurated at the Istana government office shortly after 8pm to become the second person outside the Lee family to lead the nation.
“I ... do solemnly swear that I will at all times faithfully discharge my duties as prime minister according to law, and to the best of my knowledge and ability, without fear or favor, affection or ill-will. So help me God,” the 51-year-old said.
Photo: Reuters
Members of Wong’s Cabinet were also sworn in, including his predecessor, Lee, 72, who was appointed to the advisory role of senior minister.
The US-educated economist is widely seen as a social media-savvy stalwart who effectively handled the COVID-19 pandemic when he oversaw a government’s taskforce.
“He brings a style of leadership that’s more attuned to a different generation,” said Mustafa Izzuddin, a political analyst with the Solaris Strategies Singapore consultancy. “The core principle of what Singapore is about will remain, because it is a system that has worked for many years, but I think his style may be slightly different because he comes from a different generation.”
Wong, who will remain as finance minister, was chosen as Lee’s heir-apparent in 2022 from a new generation of lawmakers from the People’s Action Party, which has ruled uninterrupted since Singapore’s independence in 1965.
Wong, the fourth prime minister in Singapore’s history, must lead the party to the next general elections, which are not due until November next year, but could be called as early as this year.
“We’re looking at a time when the ruling party’s stranglehold on politics appears to be weaker than it has ever been before,” said Eugene Tan (陳慶文), a political analyst. “We’re talking about a more competitive political landscape, we’re talking about Singaporeans who feel that it might be good for Singapore to have a strong opposition.”
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