SG minister shuffle sees Josephine Teo taking over communication and information ministry

The Singapore government has appointed Josephine Teo as minister for communications and information, according to media reports from The Straits Times and Channel NewsAsia. She takes over former minister S Iswaran, who will be moving on to take on the role of minister for transport. Teo (pictured) will also be appointed as minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative and minister-in-charge of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore. The roles were previously taken on by Vivian Balakrishnan and Iswaran respectively.

Teo was previously Singapore's minister of manpower and second minister of home affairs. In her new role, she will still continue double-hatting as second minister for home affairs, and will be relinquishing her role as minister of manpower. Tan See Leng, second minister for trade and industry, will be taking on duties for minister of manpower.

Teo is one of the seven ministers involved in the major cabinet leadership reshuffle in the government. CNA quoted prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, and reported that the reshuffles comes as deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat is relinquishing the finance portfolio, and a new leader is needed. "Finance is a key ministry, so when the finance minister changes, it has many repercussions," Lee said. This comes following DPM Heng stepping down, the education minister Lawrence Wong will be taking over as minister for finance. 

Other ministers involved in the reshuffle include minister for transport Ong Ye Kung, who will appointed minister of health; minister of health Gan Kim Yong, who will be taking over as minister for trade and industry; as well as minister of trade and industry Chan Chun Sing, who will be appointed minister of education.

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