KUALA LUMPUR – Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who has announced that he will step down effective May 15.
Wong will officially assume the post on May 15, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement earlier.
“Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will relinquish his office on May 15, 2024. He will formally advise the president to appoint the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr Lawrence Wong, to succeed him.
“DPM Wong has the unanimous support of the PAP MPs.
“The new prime minister will be sworn in at 8pm at the Istana,” it said.
In a Facebook post, Lee said the leadership transition is a significant moment for any country.
“Lawrence and the 4G team have worked hard to gain the people’s trust, notably during the pandemic.”
“Through the Forward Singapore exercise, they have worked with many Singaporeans to refresh our social compact and develop the national agenda for a new generation,” he said.
He said that the Fourth Generation (4G) team is committed to keeping Singapore working well and moving forward, and he asked Singaporeans to give their full support to Wong and his team to jointly create a brighter future.
Wong, 51, had been the presumptive next prime minister since April 2022, when his peers selected him as the leader of the People’s Action Party’s 4G team. – April 15, 2024