Singapore PM reshuffles cabinet

Singapore, Mar 30: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has reshuffled his cabinet, appointing younger ministers to continue the renewal of the ruling party leadership. Topping the list in the reshuffle is the city state's top lawyer K Shanmugam, who moves from a backbencher to direct appointment as Minister of Law and Second Minister of Home Affars.

Mr Shanmugam, 49, takes over from Deputy Prime Minister and Law Minister S Jayakumar on May 1. He is the only new appointment in the cabinet reshuffle, as others have been reconfirmed and/or promoted. Prof Jayakumar leaves the Law Ministry after 20 years but continues to be the Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security.

Mr Shanmugam, elected member of Parliament since 1988, is currently travelling with Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong on a ministerial trip to India. Dr Vivian Balankrishnan and Mr Tharmn Shanmugaratnam are the other two ethnic Indian Ministers in the new cabinet.

The new cabinet:

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 56.

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, 66.

Minister Mentor Lee Yuan Yew, 84.

Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security S Jayakumar, 68.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, 61.

Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, 47.

Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, 49.

Minister for Environment and Water Resoruces, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, 52.

Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 51.

Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean, 53.

Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Raymond Lim, 48.

Minister for Health Khaw Boon Wan, 55.

Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Dr Lee Boon Yang, 60.

Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr K Shanmugam, 49.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, George Yeo, 53.

Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, 59.

Minister, Prime Minister's Office, Mr Lim Boon Heng, 60.

Minister, Prime Minister's Office, Mr Lim Swee Say, 53.

Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, 53.

Acting Minister for Manpower, Mr Gan Kim Yong, 49.

UNI