Singapore PM to form cabinet over next 2 weeks

Singapore, Sept 13: After a landslide victory in the general election by his party, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he will form the cabinet over the next two weeks.

One of Lee's urgent affairs is to decide who will assume the post of transport minister in the new cabinet, as former transport minister Lui Tuck Yew decided not to contest the general election just before the election period.

"And so today we are reaping the fruits of work done by previous transport ministers, like Lui Tuck Yew who has done a good job over the last four years.

Some of the results are showing now but some of the results will not show for five, 10 or 15 years to come. So it's a very demanding job but I will find somebody," Lee said on Saturday, adding that he still has not made a final decision.

The People's Action Party, led by Lee, won the election with 69.86 percent of the popular votes, the highest since 2001's landslide victory of 75.3 percent.

Talking about how the government will interact with its people, Lee encourages Singaporeans, especially the young, to participate in diverse social issues such as social welfare and education in a more active way.

"Young people in particular have very diverse interests -- some are interested in animals, pet welfare, some in people, some in education, some in arts. And we encourage them to get involved in all these and the government will work directly with them," he said.

IANS