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DPM Lawrence Wong exchanges letters with President Tharman on the line-up for his Cabinet

SINGAPORE - Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, 51, has accepted the role of prime minister and will stay on as finance minister as

SINGAPORE - Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, 51, has accepted the role of prime minister and will stay on as finance minister as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 72, He will also remain as chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council. Mr Gan Kim Yong, 65, will be promoted to deputy prime minister while retaining his current role as minister for trade and industry. He assumes the role alongside current DPM, Mr Heng Swee Keat, who is 63. This means Mr Gan will be acting prime minister in Mr Wong’s absence. He will also take over from DPM Wong as chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore and assume responsibility for the Strategy Group in the Prime Minister’s Office. The incoming prime minister laid out these changes in response to a letter from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on May 13 inviting him to form the next government. In the exchange of letters, President Tharman, 67, noted that DPM Wong commanded the confidence of the majority of Members of Parliament. “I have every confidence that as prime minister, you will lead Singapore with honour and ensure the continued stability and vitality of our nation,” he wrote. In a separate Facebook post, President Tharman said he had met PM Lee first regarding the leadership handover, and DPM Wong after, at the Istana on May 13. He thanked PM Lee for 20 years of leadership on behalf of the people of Singapore, praising his stewardship through both normal times and times of crisis. He noted that he has known DPM Wong for over two decades and watched him grow as a leader. “I have the highest regard for him,” said the President. “He will in my view make an excellent PM for Singapore in the changing times to come.” In his letter to President Tharman, DPM Wong listed as well as several promotions. These are as follows: The Prime Minister’s Office said all appointment holders will be sworn in on May 15, except Mr Murali, who will be appointed and sworn in on July 1, and the senior parliamentary secretaries, who will be appointed on May 15 and sworn in on May 24.