Singapore names Tan See Leng as new Manpower Minister

PHOTO: GOV.SG

As part of Singapore’s latest Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has named Tan See Leng as the country’s new Manpower Minister.

Tan, who is currently the Second Minister for Manpower, will take over incumbent Josephine Teo with effect from May 15, as she moves to helm the Ministry of Communications and Information.

A healthcare industry veteran, Tan entered politics in the 2020 General Election. He was the only new candidate to become a full minister after the election, as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Second Minister for Manpower and for Trade and Industry.

With the reshuffle, Tan will relinquish his position as Minister in the PMO, but will retain his MTI portfolio and continue his efforts in combating COVID-19 in migrant worker dormitories.

Writing on his Facebook page, Tan said, “Over the last 9 months, I have been working very closely with Minister Josephine Teo on manpower issues, paying close attention to our efforts in managing the public health situation at the dormitories, protecting and caring for our migrant workers.

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“This is an important area that I will still keep a keen watch on, while I also focus my attention on our Singaporeans – helping jobseekers get back into employment, taking care of the mental wellbeing of all our workers in this new normal of hybrid work arrangements, and importantly, uplifting the lives of our lower-wage workers.”