View source for Cabinet of Singapore

{{Short description|Executive branch of the Singapore government}}
{{For|the current Cabinet|Fifth Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name = Cabinet of Singapore
| native_name = Current: [[Fifth Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet]]
| seal = Coat of arms of Singapore.svg
| seal_width = 200px
| seal_caption = A representation of the [[coat of arms of Singapore]] based on its [[blazon]]
| logo = 
| image = 
| type = [[Cabinet (government)|Cabinet]]
| formed = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1959|6|5}}
| agency_type = Decision making
| jurisdiction = [[Government of Singapore]]
| headquarters = [[Singapore]]
| employees = 
| budget = 
| chief1_name = [[Lee Hsien Loong]]
| chief1_position = <br><small>[[Prime Minister of Singapore|Prime Minister]]</small>
| chief2_name = [[Heng Swee Keat]]
| chief2_position = <br><small>[[Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore|Deputy Prime Minister]]<br>[[Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies]]</small>
| chief3_name = [[Lawrence Wong]] 
| chief3_position = <br><small>[[Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore|Deputy Prime Minister]] <br> [[Ministry of Finance (Singapore)|Minister for Finance]]</small>
| parent_department = 
| keydocument1 = 
| website = {{url|https://www.pmo.gov.sg/The-Cabinet|www.pmo.gov.sg}}
}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Politics of Singapore}}
The '''Cabinet of Singapore''' forms the [[executive (government)|executive branch]] of the [[Government of Singapore]] together with the [[President of Singapore|President]]. It is led by the [[Prime Minister of Singapore|Prime Minister]] who is the [[head of government]]. The prime minister is a [[Members of the Singapore Parliament|Member of Parliament]] (MP) appointed by the president who in the president's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the [[Members of the Singapore Parliament|Members of Parliament]] (MPs). The other Ministers in the [[cabinet (politics)|Cabinet]] are Members of Parliament appointed by the president acting in accordance with the advice of the prime minister. Ministers are prohibited from holding any [[office of profit]] and from actively engaging in any commercial enterprise.

The Cabinet has the general direction and control of the Government and is [[Cabinet collective responsibility|collectively responsible]] to Parliament. It also has significant influence over lawmaking. Ministers may be designated by the prime minister to be in charge of particular [[organisation of the Government of Singapore|ministries]], or as Ministers in the [[Prime Minister's Office (Singapore)|Prime Minister's Office]]. Singapore's ministers are the highest paid in the world. Prior to a salary review in 2011, the prime minister's annual salary was [[Singapore dollar|S$]]3.07 million, while the pay of ministerial-level officers ranged between S$1.58 million and S$2.37 million.<ref name="PSD Salary 2012">{{cite web|title=White Paper - Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government|url=http://www.psd.gov.sg/docs/default-source/white-paper/white-20paper-20--20salaries-20for-20a-20capable-20and-20committed-20govt-1.pdf|website=Public Service Division|access-date=1 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507095558/http://www.psd.gov.sg/white-paper/white-paper|archive-date=7 May 2015|date=10 January 2012}}</ref> On 21 May 2011, a committee was appointed by the prime minister to review the salaries of the prime minister as well as the president, political appointment holders, and Members of Parliament.<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Committee to review salaries of the President, Prime Minister and Political Appointment Holders |url=http://www.pmo.gov.sg/mediacentre/committee-review-salaries-president-prime-minister-and-political-appointment-holders |publisher=Prime Minister's Office |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011334/http://www.pmo.gov.sg/mediacentre/committee-review-salaries-president-prime-minister-and-political-appointment-holders |archive-date=5 March 2016 |date=22 May 2011 |access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref> Following the recommended wage reductions by the committee which were then debated and subsequently accepted in Parliament, the prime minister's salary was reduced by 36% (includes the removal of his pension) to S$2.2 million.<ref name="PSD Salary 2012"/> Nonetheless, the prime minister remains the highest-paid political leader in the world.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mathew|first1=Jerin|title=Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong remains highest paid country leader with $1.7m annual salary|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/singapore-pm-lee-hsien-loong-remains-highest-paid-country-leader-1-7m-annual-salary-1493952|access-date=1 January 2016|work=International Business Times|date=28 March 2015}}</ref>

The earliest predecessor of the Cabinet was the Executive Council of the [[Straits Settlements]], introduced in 1877 to advise the [[list of British Governors of the Straits Settlements|Governor of the Straits Settlements]]. It wielded no executive power. In 1955, a Council of Ministers was created, made up of three ''ex officio'' Official Members and six Elected Members of the [[Legislative Assembly of Singapore]], appointed by the governor on the recommendation of the [[Leader of the House (Singapore)|leader of the house]]. Following the general elections that year, [[David Marshall (Singaporean politician)|David Saul Marshall]] became the first [[Chief Minister of Singapore]]. Constitutional talks between Legislative Assembly representatives and the [[Colonial Office]] were held from 1956 to 1958, and Singapore gained full internal self-government in 1959. The governor was replaced by the [[Yang di-Pertuan Negara]], who had power to appoint to the post of prime minister the person most likely to command the authority of the Assembly, and other ministers of the Cabinet on the prime minister's advice. In the [[1959 Singaporean general election|1959 general elections]], the [[People's Action Party]] (PAP) swept to power with 43 out of the 51 seats in the Assembly, and [[Lee Kuan Yew]] became the first Prime Minister of Singapore. The executive branch of the Government of Singapore remained unchanged following Singapore's [[Singapore in Malaysia|merger with Malaysia]] in 1963, and subsequent [[history of the Republic of Singapore#Independence from Malaysia|independence]] in 1965.

Following the [[2020 Singaporean general election|2020 general election]], a Cabinet reshuffle took place on 27 July 2020 for the "4G" leaders to experience different ministries with 37 political office holders, the same number as the previous Cabinet. [[Heng Swee Keat]] was assigned an additional role as [[Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies (Singapore)|Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies]] while maintaining his other appointments as Minister for Finance and Deputy Prime Minister.

[[Gan Kim Yong]], [[Ong Ye Kung]], [[Josephine Teo]], [[Lawrence Wong]], [[S. Iswaran]] and [[Chan Chun Sing]] were reshuffled into new portfolios as Minister. [[Tan See Leng]] was appointed as Minister for Manpower after [[Heng Swee Keat]] ruled himself out as the PAP's 4G leader and the next prime minister. While [[Lee Hsien Loong]], [[Teo Chee Hean]], [[Tharman Shanmugaratnam]], [[Ng Eng Hen]], [[Vivian Balakrishnan]], [[Grace Fu]] and [[K. Shanmugam]] retained their portfolios with no new appointments. [[Indranee Rajah]] was also reshuffled into a new ministry as second minister while maintaining her role as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office as of 15 May 2021.

[[Maliki Osman]] and [[Edwin Tong]] were both promoted to a minister position. [[Tan See Leng]] was newly appointed into the cabinet as both a minister and second minister.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PM Lee announces new Cabinet; 6 office holders promoted, 3 retirements|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/pm-lee-singapore-new-cabinet-parliament-ge2020-12962844|access-date=2020-07-26|website=CNA|language=en}}</ref>

On 6 June 2022, [[Prime Minister of Singapore|Prime Minister]] [[Lee Hsien Loong]] announced his new Cabinet line-up and other political appointments on 6 June 2022. These changes will take effect from 13 June 2022. [[Lawrence Wong]] will be promoted to [[Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore|Deputy Prime Minister]]. He will be the Acting Prime Minister in the absence of the Prime Minister and will continue as Minister for Finance.

[[Tan Kiat How]], [[Chee Hong Tat]] were reshuffled to a new ministry as senior minister. [[Eric Chua]], [[Baey Yam Keng]] and [[Rahayu Mahzam]] will be promoted and appointed to Senior Parliamentary Secretary. [[Koh Poh Koon]] will be appointed Senior Minister of State. 

[[Sun Xueling]] and [[Desmond Tan (politician)|Desmond Tan]] will be appointed Minister of State and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office respectively.

==History==
Up to the outbreak of [[World War II]], [[Singapore]] was part of the [[Crown colony]] known as the [[Straits Settlements]] together with [[Malacca]] and [[Penang]]. The earliest predecessor of the Cabinet was arguably the Executive Council of the Straits Settlements that was introduced in 1877 by [[letters patent]] issued by [[the Crown]],<ref>[[Letters patent]] dated 17 November 1877.</ref> though its function was very different from that of today's Cabinet. The council, which was composed of "such persons and constituted in such manner as may be directed" by royal instructions,<ref>1877 letters patent, Art. II.</ref> existed to advise the [[list of British Governors of the Straits Settlements|Governor of the Straits Settlements]] and wielded no executive power. The Governor was required to consult the Executive Council on all affairs of importance unless they were too urgent to be laid before it, or if reference to it would prejudice the public service. In such urgent cases, the Governor had to inform the Council of the measures he had taken.<ref>{{citation|author=[[Richard Olaf Winstedt]]|title=The Constitution of the Colony of the Straits Settlements and the Federated and Unfederated Malay States|location=London|publisher=[[Chatham House|Royal Institute of International Affairs]]|year=1931|page=4}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|author=Kevin Tan Yew Lee|chapter=A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore|editor=Kevin Y L Tan |title=The Singapore Legal System|edition=2nd|location=Singapore|publisher=[[National University of Singapore|Singapore University Press]]|year=1999|page=26 at 37|isbn=978-9971-69-213-1}}.</ref>

[[File:Williamrobinson.jpg|thumb|Sir [[William Cleaver Francis Robinson]] (1834–1897), the [[list of British Governors of the Straits Settlements|Governor of the Straits Settlements]] when the Executive Council of the Straits Settlements was introduced in 1877]]

Following the Second World War, the Straits Settlements were disbanded and Singapore became a Crown colony in its own right.<ref>By the Straits Settlements (Repeal) Act 1946 ([[List of Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom Parliament, 1940-1959#9 & 10 Geo. VI|9 & 10 Geo. VI]], c. 37) and the Singapore Order-in-Council 1946, [[Statutory Rules and Orders|S. R. & O.]], 1946, No. 462 (UK), dated 27 March 1946.</ref> The reconstituted Executive Council consisted of six officials and four nominated "unofficials".<ref>Tan, "A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore", p. 41.</ref> In February 1954, the Rendel Constitutional Commission under the chairmanship of Sir [[George William Rendel]], which had been appointed to comprehensively review the constitution of the Colony of Singapore, rendered its report. Among other things, it recommended that a Council of Ministers be created, composed of three ''ex officio'' Official Members and six Elected Members of the [[Legislative Assembly of Singapore]] appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Leader of the House, who would be the leader of the largest political party or [[coalition government|coalition of parties]] having majority support in the legislature. The recommendation was implemented in 1955.<ref>By the Singapore Colony Order-in-Council 1955, [[Statutory Instrument (UK)|S.I.]] 1955, No. 187 (UK).</ref> In the general election held that year, the [[Labour Front]] took a majority of the seats in the Assembly, and [[David Marshall (Singaporean politician)|David Saul Marshall]] became the first [[Chief Minister of Singapore]]. Major problems with the Rendel Constitution were that the Chief Minister and Ministers' powers were ill-defined, and that the Official Members retained control of the finance, administration, and internal security and law portfolios. This led to confrontation between Marshall, who saw himself as a Prime Minister governing the country, and the [[Governor of Singapore|Governor]], Sir [[John Fearns Nicoll]], who felt that important decisions and policies should remain with himself and the Official Members.<ref>{{citation|author=Yeo Kim Wah|title=Political Development in Singapore, 1945–55|location=[Singapore]|publisher=Singapore University Press|year=1973|page=62}}.</ref><ref>Tan, "A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore", pp. 42–43.</ref>

[[File:LeeKuanYew-20051106.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Lee Kuan Yew]], who was elected the first [[Prime Minister of Singapore]] in 1959, in a 2005 photograph]]

In 1956, members of the Legislative Assembly held constitutional talks with the [[Colonial Office]] in London. The talks broke down as Marshall did not agree to the British Government's proposal for the [[casting vote]] on a proposed Defence Council to be held by the British High Commissioner to Singapore, who would only exercise it in an emergency. Marshall resigned as Chief Minister in June 1956, and was replaced by [[Lim Yew Hock]].<ref>{{citation|author=[[Mary Turnbull|C[onstance] M[ary] Turnbull]]|title=A History of Singapore, 1819–1975|location=Kuala Lumpur; New York, N.Y.|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|year=1977|page=263|isbn=978-0-19-580354-9}}.</ref> The following year, Lim led another delegation to the UK for further talks on self-government. This time, agreement was reached on the composition of an Internal Security Council.<ref>Turnbull, p. 264.</ref> Other constitutional arrangements were swiftly settled in 1958, and on 1 August the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] passed the State of Singapore Act 1958,<ref>State of Singapore Act 1958 ([[List of Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom Parliament, 1940-1959#6 & 7 Eliz. II|6 & 7 Eliz. II]], c. 59, UK).</ref> granting the colony full internal self-government. Under Singapore's new constitution which came into force on 3 June 1959,<ref>Singapore (Constitution) Order-in-Council 1958, S.I. 1958, No. 156 (UK).</ref> the Governor was replaced by the [[Yang di-Pertuan Negara]] (Head of State), who had power to appoint as Prime Minister the person most likely to command the authority of the Legislative Assembly, and other Ministers of the Cabinet on the Prime Minister's advice.<ref>Singapore (Constitution) Order-in-Council 1958 (UK), Art. 21.</ref> The Constitution also created the post of the British High Commissioner,<ref>Singapore (Constitution) Order-in-Council 1958 (UK), Arts. 15–19.</ref> who was entitled to receive the agenda of each Cabinet meeting and to see all Cabinet papers. In the [[1959 Singaporean general election|1959 general elections]], the [[People's Action Party]] (PAP) swept to power with 43 out of the 51 seats in the Assembly, and [[Lee Kuan Yew]] became the first Prime Minister of Singapore. Nine other Ministers were appointed to the Cabinet.<ref>Tan, "A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore", pp. 44–45.</ref>

The British High Commissioner's role became that of an [[ambassador]] following Singapore's independence from Britain and [[Singapore in Malaysia|merger with Malaysia]] in 1963. Apart from that the executive branch of the Singapore Government remained largely unchanged,<ref>Tan, "A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore", p. 46.</ref> although now it governed a state within a larger [[federation]]. However, with effect from 9 August 1965, Singapore left the [[Malaysia|Federation of Malaysia]] and became a fully [[history of the Republic of Singapore#Independence from Malaysia|independent republic]]. On separation from Malaysia, the Singapore Government retained its executive authority, and the executive authority of the [[Parliament of Malaysia]] ceased to extend to Singapore and vested in the Singapore Government.<ref>Constitution and Malaysia (Singapore Amendment) Act 1965 (No. 53 of 1965) (Malaysia), ss. 4 and 5.</ref> The [[Yang di-Pertuan Agong]], the Supreme Head of State of Malaysia, also ceased to be the Supreme Head of Singapore and relinquished his sovereignty, jurisdiction, power and authority, executive or otherwise in respect of Singapore, which revested in the Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore.<ref>Constitution and Malaysia (Singapore Amendment) Act 1965 (Malaysia), s. 6.</ref> The Republic of Singapore Independence Act 1965<ref>{{Singapore legislation|title=Republic of Singapore Independence Act|ed=1985}}, s. 4.</ref> then vested the executive authority of Singapore in the newly created post of President, and made it exercisable by him or by the Cabinet or by any Minister authorized by the Cabinet.

==Structure of government==
Singapore inherited a [[Westminster system]] of government from the [[British Empire|British]]. In such systems, there is an overlap between the [[executive (government)|executive]] and [[legislature|legislative branches]] of government. The [[head of state]], who is the [[President of Singapore]], is a member of both the executive [[Government of Singapore]] and the [[Parliament of Singapore]] but plays a minimal role in them. Executive power lies in the hands of the [[cabinet (government)|Cabinet]], which is made up of the [[Prime Minister of Singapore]] (the [[head of government]]) and other Ministers.<ref>{{Singapore legislation|title=Constitution|ed=1985|rep=1999}}, Art. 24(1).</ref> At the same time, the Prime Minister and Ministers are also [[Members of the Singapore Parliament|Members of Parliament]] (MPs).

Following constitutional reforms in 1991, the office of President was transformed from an appointed to an elected post. Thus, both the President and MPs are elected to their posts by the [[Singaporean nationality law|citizens of Singapore]] in separate [[elections in Singapore|elections]].<ref>Constitution, Arts. 17(2) ("The President shall be elected by the citizens of Singapore in accordance with any law made by the Legislature.") and 39(1) ("Parliament shall consist of – (a) such number of elected Members as is required to be returned at a general election by the [[electoral district|constituencies]] prescribed by or under any law made by the Legislature; (b) such other members ... who shall be known as [[Non-Constituency Member of Parliament|non-constituency Members]] ...; and (c) such other Members ... who shall be known as [[Nominated Member of Parliament|nominated Members]] ..." The procedure for elections is governed by the {{Singapore legislation|title=Presidential Elections Act|cap=240A|ed=2011}} and the {{Singapore legislation|title=Parliamentary Elections Act|cap=218|ed=2011}}.</ref>

===Appointment of Cabinet===
[[File:Halimah Yacob APEC Women and the Economy Forum 2012.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Halimah Yacob]], the incumbent [[President of Singapore]] .]]

The President appoints as Prime Minister an MP who, in his or her judgment, is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the MPs.<ref name="Constitution Art. 25(1)">Singapore Constitution, Art. 25(1).</ref> In practice, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the political party holding the majority of the seats in Parliament.<ref name="Thio 84">{{citation|author=[[Thio Li-ann]]|chapter=The Constitutional Framework of Powers|editor=Kevin Y L Tan |title=The Singapore Legal System|edition=2nd|location=Singapore|publisher=[[National University of Singapore|Singapore University Press]]|year=1999|page=67 at 84|isbn=978-9971-69-213-1}}.</ref>

The President also appoints other Ministers to the Cabinet from among the MPs, acting in accordance with the Prime Minister's advice.<ref name="Constitution Art. 25(1)"/> Any MP, including a [[Non-Constituency Member of Parliament]] (NCMP) or a [[Nominated Member of Parliament]] (NMP), may be appointed a Minister. Thus it is possible for a person who was not elected by voters to be appointed by Parliament as an NMP, then by the President as a Minister. In 1990, then Deputy Prime Minister [[Goh Chok Tong]] said in Parliament: "I would rather that a government has the flexibility to appoint the right person to be the minister for finance, than to compel that government to select from whoever is available in the House."<ref>Speech of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Goh Chok Tong on the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill, ''Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report'' (29 March 1990), vol. 55, col. 1045.</ref> However, he added that the Government had no intention to appoint a Cabinet minister from among the NMPs at that time. In May 2009, MP [[Hri Kumar]] proposed during a Parliamentary debate that this stand be reconsidered as the Prime Minister would be able to draw on the experience of many capable Singaporeans. He expressed the view that this would not offend democratic principles. Singapore's Parliamentary system placed more weight on the party in power rather than individual MPs, and "Parliamentarians must still win the support from the ground and, ultimately, the PM and the ruling party and his Cabinet team will still be answerable to the electorate at elections."<ref>Speech of MP Hri Kumar Nair on the President's Address, ''Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report'' (26 May 2009), vol. 86 (no column numbers assigned yet).</ref> Critics have commented that adopting the practice would disenchant Singaporeans, deepen the already [[parochialism|parochial]] political culture, and lead to a lack of accountability and legitimacy.<ref>{{citation|author=Jeremy Au Yong|author2=Zakir Hussain|title=Nominated ministers: Good or bad idea?|newspaper=[[The Straits Times]]|date=13 June 2009|page=A32}}.</ref>

Before entering on the duties of their office, the Prime Minister and other Ministers must take and [[wikt:subscribe#Verb|subscribe]] (sign) the Oath of Allegiance and an oath for the due execution of their offices before the President.<ref>Constitution. Art. 27.</ref> The Oath of Allegiance reads as follows:

{{quote|I, [''name''], having been appointed to the office of [''name of office''], do solemnly swear [''or'' affirm] that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Singapore and that I will preserve, protect and defend the [[Constitution of Singapore|Constitution of the Republic of Singapore]].<ref>Constitution, 1st Sch., para. 2.</ref>}}

The oath for the due execution of the office of Prime Minister or a Minister is as follows:

{{quote|I, [''name''], being chosen and appointed as Prime Minister [''or'' Minister] of Singapore, do solemnly swear [''or'' affirm] that I will at all times faithfully discharge my duties as Prime Minister [''or'' Minister] according to law, and to the best of my knowledge and ability, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.<ref>Constitution, 1st Sch., paras. 4 and 4A.</ref>}}

Cabinet members are prohibited from holding any [[office of profit]] or actively engaging in any commercial enterprise.<ref>Constitution, Art. 33.</ref> In addition, they are required to comply with a ''Code of Conduct for Ministers''.<ref>{{citation|author=Lau Wah Ming, Secretary to the Cabinet|title=Code of Conduct for Ministers|url=http://www.getformesingapore.com/previous2005/020805_codeofconductforministers.htm|publisher=Cabinet of Singapore (reproduced on the Getforme Singapore website)|date=4 July 2005|access-date=26 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612064850/http://www.getformesingapore.com/previous2005/020805_codeofconductforministers.htm|archive-date=12 June 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}.</ref> For example, to counter potential allegations of corruption and unexplained wealth and to avoid potential conflicts between private interests and public responsibilities, the Code requires every Minister, upon appointment to office, to disclose in confidence to the President through the Prime Minister all sources of income other than his salary as a Minister and as an MP. This must include all assets, such as financial assets, real property, interests in any company or professional practice, and any other substantial personal assets as well as financial liabilities, including mortgages and borrowings.<ref>''Code of Conduct for Ministers'', para. 1.1.</ref> A Minister must also "scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests".<ref>''Code of Conduct for Ministers'', para. 3.1.</ref> Thus, a Minister is not permitted to accept any favour of any kind from persons in negotiation with, or seeking to obtain any licence or enter into any contractual relations with, the Government,<ref>''Code of Conduct for Ministers'', para. 3.4.</ref> or to use official information that comes to him as a Minister for his own private profit or the profit of any family member or associate.<ref>''Code of Conduct for Ministers'', para. 3.5.</ref>

===Vacation of office===
The President must declare the office of Prime Minister vacant if the Prime Minister resigns his office, or if the President, acting in his discretion, is satisfied that the Prime Minister has ceased to command the confidence of a majority of the MPs. In the latter situation, the President is required first to inform the Prime Minister of his evaluation in this regard, and if the Prime Minister requests him to, the President may [[dissolution of parliament|dissolve Parliament]] instead of making a declaration of vacancy.<ref>Constitution, Art. 26(1).</ref> A [[general election]] must be held within three months after the dissolution of Parliament.<ref>Constitution, Art. 66.</ref> This gives the former Prime Minister the opportunity to consolidate support by receiving a fresh mandate at the polls.<ref name="Thio 84"/>

At present, it is not clear what evidence the President may rely on to be satisfied that the Prime Minister has ceased to command the confidence of a majority of MPs, as the [[judicial system of Singapore|Singapore courts]] have not yet had to decide the issue. In the [[Sarawak]] case of ''Stephen Kalong Ningkan v. Tun Abang Haji Openg'',<ref>''Stephen Kalong Ningkan v. Tun Abang Haji Openg'' [1966] 2 M.L.J. [''Malayan Law Journal''] 187, declining to apply the approach taken by the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council|Privy Council]] on appeal from Nigeria in {{cite BAILII|litigants=Adegbenro v. Akintola|court=UKPC|year=1963|num=15|format=1|parallelcite=[1963] A.C. 614|courtname=auto|juris=Nigeria}}. See also {{citation|author=Thio Su Mien|title=Dismissal of Chief Ministers|journal=Malaya Law Review|year=1966|volume=8|page=203}}.</ref> decided on provisions similar to those in the Singapore Constitution, the court found that the phrase ''ceased to command the confidence of a majority of the Members of Parliament'' was a [[technical terminology|term of art]] which had to be signified by a formal [[motion of no confidence|vote of no confidence]] taken by the legislature. In contrast, a [[Sabah]] court held in ''Datuk Amir Kahar v. Tun Mohd Said bin Keruak, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah''<ref>''Datuk Amir Kahar v. Tun Mohd Said bin Keruak, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah'' [1995] 1 M.L.J. 169.</ref> that loss of confidence could be assessed on the basis of evidence other than a legislative vote.<ref name="Thio 85">Thio, "The Constitutional Framework of Powers", p. 85.</ref> This might include, for instance, media reports or letters addressed to the President.

Other Cabinet ministers must vacate their office if they resign, or if their appointments are revoked by the President acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.<ref>Constitution, Art. 26(2).</ref> A person who has vacated his or her office as Minister may, if qualified, be subsequently appointed again as a Minister.<ref>Constitution, Art. 26(3).</ref>

The Prime Minister and other Ministers who make up the Cabinet do not vacate their offices upon a dissolution of Parliament, but continue in their posts until the first sitting of the next Parliament following a general election.<ref>Art. 26 of the Constitution does not list the dissolution of Parliament as a ground on which the Prime Minister and a minister must vacate their offices. In addition, Art. 25(2) states that an MP may be appointed as Prime Minister by the President when Parliament is dissolved, but that MP shall not continue to hold office after the first sitting of the next Parliament unless he is also an MP of that Parliament.</ref>

==Responsibilities and remuneration==
[[File:Lee Hsien Loong 2004-11-21.jpg|thumb|The Cabinet is headed by the Prime Minister, [[Lee Hsien Loong]], photographed here on 21 November 2004]]

The executive authority of Singapore is vested in the President and is exercisable by him or by the Cabinet of Singapore or any Minister authorized by the Cabinet.<ref>Constitution, Art. 23(1).</ref> However, the President normally plays a nominal and largely ceremonial role in the executive branch of government. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check on the Cabinet and Parliament of Singapore,<ref>See, generally, Art. 21(2) of the Constitution.</ref> he is otherwise required to act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or of a Minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet.<ref>Constitution, Art. 21(1).</ref> It is the Cabinet that has the general direction and control of the Government.<ref name="Constitution Art. 24(2)">Constitution, Art. 24(2).</ref> As Singapore follows the Westminster system of government, the [[legislation|legislative]] agenda of Parliament is determined by the Cabinet. At the start of each new [[legislative session|Parliamentary session]], the President gives an address prepared by the Cabinet that outlines what the Cabinet intends to achieve in the session.<ref>{{citation|title=Standing Orders of Parliament (as amended on 19 October 2004) |url=http://www.parliament.gov.sg/Publications/SO-merge%20with%20SO%20notes.pdf |format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100509010912/http://www.parliament.gov.sg/Publications/SO-merge%20with%20SO%20notes.pdf |archive-date=9 May 2010 |publisher=[[Parliament of Singapore]] |date=19 October 2004 |access-date=25 May 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}, Orders 15(1) ("At the conclusion of the President's speech delivered at the opening of any session, Parliament shall stand adjourned without any question being put. The Leader of the House shall give two clear days' notice naming an ordinary sitting day, not less than two clear days after the day on which the speech was delivered, for the next sitting of Parliament, and Parliament shall sit on the day stated in such notice.") and 15(2) ("Such notice shall also give notice for such sitting day, of a motion to be moved by a Minister or other Member named by the Leader of the House that an Address expressing the thanks of Parliament for the speech of the President be agreed to. Debate thereon shall be confined to the policy of the Government as outlined in the speech."). See also Singapore Constitution, Art. 62: "The President may address Parliament and may send messages thereto."</ref>

Under the Constitution, the Cabinet is [[Cabinet collective responsibility|collectively responsible]] to Parliament.<ref name="Constitution Art. 24(2)"/> In theory, Parliament acts as a check on the power of the Cabinet as Ministers are required to justify their actions and policies upon being questioned by MPs. However, in Singapore this is a weak check because the ruling People's Action Party holds a large Parliamentary majority, and party members who are MPs are required by [[party discipline]] to vote according to the [[whip (politics)|party Whip]]'s instructions.<ref name="Thio 85"/>

The Cabinet may not be summoned except by the authority of the Prime Minister.<ref>Constitution, Art. 28(1).</ref> As far as is practicable, the Prime Minister is required to attend and preside at Cabinet meetings, but in his absence he may appoint another Minister to preside.<ref>Constitution, Art. 28(2).</ref>

Whenever the Prime Minister is ill, absent from Singapore, or has been granted leave of absence from his duties, the functions conferred on him by the Constitution are exercisable by any other Minister authorized by the President.<ref>Constitution, Art. 26(4)(a). The President may revoke any such authority: Art. 26(4)(b).</ref> In general, the President must act in accordance with the Prime Minister's advice in appointing a Minister for this purpose. However, the President may act in his own discretion if in his opinion it is impracticable to obtain the advice of the Prime Minister due to his illness or absence.<ref>Constitution, Art. 26(4)(c).</ref>

===Responsibilities of Ministers===
The Prime Minister may, by giving written directions, charge any Minister with responsibility for any department or subject.<ref>Constitution, Art. 30(1).</ref> In practice, this is done by issuing notifications that are published in the ''Government Gazette''. For instance, the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Responsibility of Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, Prime Minister's Office) Notification 2009<ref>Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Responsibility of Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, Prime Minister's Office) Notification 2009 (S 142/2009).</ref> states:

{{quote|It is hereby notified for general information that, pursuant to Article 30(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the Prime Minister has directed that Mr S. Jayakumar shall, with effect from 1 April 2009, be charged with the responsibility for the following matters:
:(a) national security issues involving or affecting more than one Ministry;
:(b) Chairmanship of the Security Policy Review Committee;
:(c) foreign policy issues involving or affecting more than one Ministry; and
:(d) foreign policy issues which involve legal negotiation or international adjudication,
and that he shall be designated as Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security.}}

Ministers may be designated by the Prime Minister to be in charge of particular [[organisation of the Government of Singapore|ministries]], or as Ministers in the [[Prime Minister's Office (Singapore)|Prime Minister's Office]]. Such Ministers were formerly known as [[Minister without portfolio|Ministers without portfolio]].

The Prime Minister may retain any department or subject in his charge.<ref>Constitution, Art. 30(2).</ref>

===Remuneration===

====Before 2010====
When Singapore gained its independence from Malaysia in 1965, the monthly salary received by the prime minister of the nation inherited from the chief minister position was Singapore was still a British colony, and was fixed at {{SGD|3,500|link=on}} ({{Inflation|SG|3500|1965|fmt=eq}}). The salary was not adjusted until in 1973, when a revision of ministerial pay was conducted, and the salary of the prime minister was increased to {{SGD|9,500}} ({{Inflation|SG|9,500|1965|fmt=eq}}). The justification given by then Prime Minister [[Lee Kuan Yew]] was to help select new leaders amidst a better economic position.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lee Kuan Yew's salary as Prime Minister in 1973 was S$9,500 per month. His ministers? S$7,000.|url=https://mothership.sg/2018/05/ministerial-salaries-history-singapore/|access-date=2021-04-04|website=mothership.sg|language=en}}</ref>

In 1994, then Prime Minister [[Goh Chok Tong]] received a monthly salary of nearly {{SGD|96,000}} ({{Inflation|SG|96,000|1965|fmt=eq}}, about {{SGD|1.15 million}} a year), while other ministers earned about {{SGD|48,900}} ({{Inflation|SG|48,900|1965|fmt=eq}}, about {{SGD|586,800}} a year). This made them among the highest paid government ministers in the world.<ref>{{citation|title=Singapore ministers, top bureaucrats get pay hike|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=22 October 1994}}.</ref> In October that year, the Government issued a [[white paper#Government white papers|white paper]] entitled ''Competitive Salaries for Competent & Honest Government''<ref>{{citation|title=Competitive Salaries for Competent & Honest Government: Benchmarks for Ministers & Senior Public Officers: White Paper [Cmd. 13 of 1994]|location=Singapore|publisher=[[Prime Minister's Office (Singapore)|Prime Minister's Office]]|year=1994|isbn=978-9971-88-443-7}}.</ref> which proposed that the salaries of ministers and [[Singapore Civil Service|civil servants]] be pegged at two-thirds the average principal earned income of the top four earners in six professions: accounting, banking, engineering, law, local manufacturing firms and multinational corporations. These professions were chosen because their top members had general management skills which ministers also had to have. According to the white paper, the one-third "discount" would be "a visible demonstration of the sacrifice involved in becoming a minister". Although "[s]alaries should never be the motivation for persons to become ministers", the financial sacrifice had to be minimized if outstanding and committed Singaporeans were to be encouraged to take on the "risks and public responsibilities of a political career".<ref name="BT 19941022">{{citation|author=Chuang Peck Ming|title=Six professions to set pay for ministers and civil servants|newspaper=[[Business Times (Singapore)]]|date=22 October 1994}}. See also {{citation|author=Wang Hui Ling|author2=Chung Tsung Mien|author3=Jimmy Yap|title=32 say benchmarks too high, 25 think they are valid|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=28 October 1994}}; {{citation|author=Warren Fernandez|title=Will S'poreans back SM Lee's judgment on White Paper?|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2 November 1994}}; {{citation|author=Chuang Peck Ming|title=MP warns of election backlash in debate on pay rise for ministers|newspaper=Business Times (Singapore)|date=4 November 1994}}.</ref> The benchmark would also be used to determine the pay of the President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney-General, Chairman of the [[Public Service Commission (Singapore)|Public Service Commission]] and judges.<ref name="BT 19941022" />

Following Parliamentary approval of the white paper in November 1994,<ref>{{citation|author=Chuang Peck Ming|title=Why it's fitting to peg ministers' pay to top private sector earners|newspaper=Business Times (Singapore)|date=1 November 1994}}; {{citation|author=Chuang Peck Ming|title=White paper on salary benchmarks approved|newspaper=Business Times (Singapore)|date=4 November 1994}}.</ref> the Government established an independent panel to examine the benchmark for the Prime Minister's salary. The panel's report, released in January 1995, recommended that the benchmark be about $1.6 million a year, but said it would be reasonable for the Prime Minister to be paid $2.4 million in view of his heavy responsibilities. The Government said that in three years it planned to raise the pay of the Prime Minister to $1.46 million and that of ministers to 60% of the benchmark, and in the "longer term" to $1.6 million and two-thirds of the benchmark respectively.<ref>{{citation|author=Chuang Peck Ming|title=Independent panel recommends S$1.6m annual salary for S'pore PM|newspaper=Business Times (Singapore)|date=13 January 1995}}.</ref>

In February 1996, it was reported that a survey of 19 countries by the [[World Economic Forum]] magazine ''World Link'' had found that political leaders and senior civil servants of Singapore had the highest salaries.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} The pay of the Singapore Prime Minister (S$1.1 million, or US$812,858) was almost five times the average pay of the chief political executives of the nations surveyed (US$168,291). Senior civil servants were paid US$292,714, almost three times their counterparts' average pay.<ref>{{citation|author=Chua Mui Hoong|title=Ministers' pay – essential move despite political cost|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=4 February 1996}}.</ref>

In August 2000, in view of the Singapore economy's growth of almost 10% led by a rapid increase in exports, the salary of the Prime Minister was increased by 14% and those of other ministers by 12%. In response to public disquiet, Goh Chok Tong said that, spread across the population, the rises amounted to about $11 per person, equivalent to "about five plates of [[char kway teow]] &#91;fried noodles with [[cockle (bivalve)|cockles]]&#93; per Singaporean".<ref name="SCMP 20030112">{{citation|author=Jake Lloyd-Smith|title=A lesson from the Lion City|newspaper=[[South China Morning Post]]|date=12 January 2003|page=3}}.</ref> Subsequently, in late 2001, when Singapore experienced its [[early 2000s recession|worst recession in a generation]], ministerial pay was reduced by more than 17%. Nonetheless, it was reported that the prime minister still earned a gross annual salary of about $1.03 million before the variable component was taken into account.<ref name="SCMP 20030112"/>

In April 2007, the Prime Minister's annual salary increased to S$3.1 million ([[United States dollar|US$]]2.05 million), about five times that of the then [[President of the United States]] [[George W. Bush]] who earned US$400,000.<ref name="AP 20070409">{{citation|author=Derrick Ho|title=Singapore's government ministers to get pay raise of more than 60 percent by 2008|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|date=9 April 2007}}.</ref> The annual entry-level salary for ministers increased from $1.2 million to $1.6 million, and was projected to rise to 88% of the private sector benchmark by the end of 2008. Almost half of ministers' pay packages was made up of an individual performance bonus decided by the Prime Minister, and a variable bonus component based on the country's prevailing [[gross domestic product]] and capped at eight months of each minister's annual salary.<ref>{{citation|author=Derrick A. Paulo|title=In phases, tied to performance; Starting pay for ministers upped to $1.6m for now; 95% of civil servants will get raise|newspaper=Today|date=10 April 2007|page=3}}.</ref> The pay increases were justified by the Government on the grounds that the salaries had to keep pace with those in the private sector to attract the best talent and to avoid corruption. [[Teo Chee Hean]], the then [[Ministry of Defence (Singapore)|Minister for Defence]] and minister in charge of the civil service, was reported as saying: "We don't want pay to be the reason for people to join [the government]. But we also don't want pay to be the reason for them not to join us, or to leave after joining us."<ref name="AP 20070409"/> The increases sparked much debate both in and out of Parliament, with many people seeing ministerial pay as already being too high.<ref name="AP 20070409"/> During a Parliamentary debate on the issue, then [[Nominated Member of Parliament]] [[Thio Li-ann]] said: "It would be a sad indictment of my generation if no one came forward to serve without excessive monetary inducement, as to be bereft of deep convictions is to be impoverished indeed."<ref>{{citation|author=Lydia Lim|title=Beware a poverty of convictions|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=27 April 2007}}.</ref> On 11 April 2007, the Prime Minister [[Lee Hsien Loong]] told Parliament: "To make it quite clear why I am doing this, and also to give me the moral standing to defend this policy with Singaporeans, I will hold my own salary at the present level for five years. The government will pay me my full salary, because that is the way the system will have to work, but for five years, whatever the increase in the salary above its present level, I will donate to suitable good causes."<ref>{{citation|author=Daniel Buenas|title=PM Lee to donate salary increase for next 5 years to charity|newspaper=Business Times (Singapore)|date=12 April 2007}}; see also {{citation|title=Singapore PM in damage control on salary: analysts|publisher=[[Agence France Presse]]|date=12 April 2007}}.</ref> The following day, it was clarified that the Prime Minister had decided to do so a while ago, and that he had not been influenced by pressure arising from the announcement of the ministerial pay rise.<ref>{{citation|title=PM decided to donate his pay hikes a while ago|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=13 April 2007}}.</ref>

In 2008, the annual salary for entry-level ministers was $1,924,300.<ref name="ST 20091127">{{citation|author=Sue-Ann Chia|title=Pay package of top civil servants and ministers down 22%|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=27 November 2009|page=A6}}.</ref> In view of the [[late 2000s recession in Asia#Singapore|worsening economic crisis in 2008–2009]], as of January 2009 the Prime Minister's salary was cut to $3.04 million, while the pay of ministerial-grade officers was reduced by 18% to $1.57 million.<ref>{{citation|author=Kenny Chee|title=Cut in annual pay for top civil servants|newspaper=[[My Paper]]|date=25 November 2008|page=A2}}.</ref> In November 2009, the Public Service Division announced that pay increments would be deferred for a second time in 2010 because of the uncertain economic recovery. A minister's 2009 salary of $1,494,700 per year was therefore 22% lower than the salary received in 2008.<ref name="ST 20091127"/>

====2011 review====
As at 31 December 2010, the remuneration of ministers depended on which ministerial grade – from the lowest to the highest, MR4, MR3, MR2 or MR1 – they were at.<ref name="2011 Committee 13">{{citation|title=Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government |url=http://reviewcommittee2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/salaries-for-a-capable-and-committed-govt.pdf |format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104154450/http://reviewcommittee2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/salaries-for-a-capable-and-committed-govt.pdf |archive-date=4 January 2012 |location=Singapore |publisher=Committee to Review Ministerial Salaries |date=30 December 2011 |page=11, para. 13 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }} ("Ministerial salaries report").</ref> Each minister's pay package was made up of fixed components (a monthly salary for 12 months, a non-pensionable annual allowance of one month's salary, a special allowance of one month's salary, and a public service leadership allowance of two months' salary) and variable components (an annual variable component, a performance bonus, and a [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) bonus). The annual variable component of up to one and a half-month's salary was paid based on Singapore's economic performance. In years where economic performance was exceptional, a special variable payment was also made. Each minister's performance bonus was determined by the Prime Minister and could be up to 14 months' salary, though most good performers received the equivalent of nine months' salary. The GDP bonus depended on the nation's GDP growth rate. No bonus was paid if the rate was below 2%, and a maximum bonus of eight months' salary was paid if the rate was 10% or greater. In addition, ministers received the same medical benefits as civil servants.<ref>Ministerial salaries report, pp. 12–13, paras. 18–19.</ref> In 2010, the benchmark annual remuneration for an MR4-grade minister was $2,598,004, while the actual salary paid was $1,583,900.<ref name="2011 Committee 14">Ministerial salaries report, p. 11, para. 14.</ref> An MR1-grade minister's salary was $2,368,500.<ref>Ministerial salaries report, pp. 31–32, para. 85 and Table 3.</ref> The annual pay of the Prime Minister was set at a fixed ratio to the MR4 salary,<ref name="2011 Committee 13"/> and was $3,072,200 in 2010.<ref name="2011 Committee 14"/> This included a fixed service bonus in lieu of a performance bonus since there was no one to assess the Prime Minister's individual performance. The fixed service bonus was the same as the performance bonus paid to a good performer at the MR4 grade.<ref>Ministerial salaries report, p. 27, para. 77.</ref>

On 21 May 2011, following the [[2011 Singaporean general election|2011 general election]], the Prime Minister announced that a committee would be appointed to review politicians' remuneration, and that revised salaries would take effect from that date. The committee to Review Ministerial Salaries chaired by [[Gerard Ee]] rendered its report on 30 December 2011, and released it to the public on 4 January 2012. As regards ministerial pay, the Committee recommended benchmarking an MR4-grade minister's salary to the [[median income]] of the top 1,000 wage earners who are [[Singaporean nationality law|Singapore citizens]], with a 40% discount "to signify the sacrifice that comes with the ethos of political service".<ref>Ministerial salaries report, p. 5.</ref> It also recommended removing the special allowance and public service leadership allowance; capping performance bonuses at six months' salary (with good performers generally receiving three months' salary); and replacing the GDP bonus with a national bonus based on four equally weighted indicators: the real [[median income]] growth rate (that is, the growth rate taking [[inflation]] into account), the real growth rate of the incomes of the lowest 20th [[percentile]] earners, the [[unemployment#Measurement|unemployment rate]], and the [[real gross domestic product|real GDP]] growth rate. As regards the latter, no bonus will be paid if the minimum targets for the indicators are not met. A bonus of three months' salary will be paid if the targets are met, and a maximum bonus of six months' salary if the targets are greatly exceeded.<ref>Ministerial salaries report, pp. 25–27, para. 76.</ref> This would result in a reduction of an M4-grade minister's annual salary by 31% of the 2010 figure to $1.1 million.<ref>Ministerial salaries report, p. 6. This is made up of a base pay of $715,000, a one-month annual variable component, a three-month performance bonus and a three-month national bonus* {{citation|author=Janice Heng|title=$1.1 million ministerial pay includes bonuses|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=12 January 2012|pages=A1 & A4}}.</ref><ref name="ST 20120105">See also {{citation|author=Lydia Lim|title=Ministers' starting pay cut to less than $1 million: Committee also proposes: Halving President's salary; Scrapping pensions, several allowances and bonuses|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=5 January 2012|pages=A1 & A4}}; {{citation|author=Janice Heng|title=Salaries to be based on larger pool of top income earners: Enlarged group more representative, reduces volatility of benchmark|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=5 January 2012|pages=A6–A7}}; {{citation|author=Loh Chee Kong|title=Deep cuts proposed to pay of political leaders|newspaper=Today|date=5 January 2012|pages=1 & 3}}.</ref>

Where the Prime Minister's remuneration was concerned, the Committee recommended that it be pegged to twice of a MR4-grade minister's salary and doing away with the fixed service bonus. Instead, the Prime Minister will receive a larger national bonus. His annual bonus where the targets for the indicators have been met will be six months' salary, and 12 months' salary where they have been greatly exceeded.<ref>Ministerial salaries report, p. 27, paras. 77–78.</ref> This will lead to a reduction in the Prime Minister's annual salary of 28% to $2.2 million (about US$1.7 million).<ref>Ministerial salaries report, p. 7.</ref> Lee Hsien Loong said that he accepted the committee's recommendations. He remains the best-paid head of government in the world, his proposed annual pay package exceeding that of the then [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong]] [[Sir Donald Tsang]], the political leader with the second-highest salary in the world (around US$550,000), by about three times; and that of then [[President of the United States]] [[Barack Obama]] (US$400,000)<ref>{{citation|author=Barbara L. Schwemle|title=Salaries of Federal Officials: A Fact Sheet &#91;Order Code 98-53 GOV&#93;|url=https://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-53.pdf|format=PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426025113/https://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-53.pdf|archive-date=26 April 2013|publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]]|date=11 January 2005|page=CRS-2}}.</ref> by over four times.<ref>{{citation|title=Singapore snip: Prime minister takes big pay cut: Austerity hits wealthy city-state as Lee Hsien Loong accepts 36% wage reduction. But he will still be world's best-paid leader|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/04/singapore-prime-minister-lee-loong|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602011941/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/04/singapore-prime-minister-lee-loong|archive-date=2 June 2012|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|location=London|date=4 January 2012}}.</ref>

The committee's report was discussed in Parliament from 16 to 18 January 2012. Setting out the position of the [[Workers' Party of Singapore|Workers' Party]], [[Chen Show Mao]] said that the basic monthly salary of an MP should be $11,000, the pay of an MX9-grade director in the Management Executive Scheme of the Civil Service. A minister should be paid five times this sum ($55,000), and the Prime Minister nine times ($99,000). then NCMP [[Gerald Giam]] said that ministers should obtain an average annual bonus of three months of their base salaries, and in any case no more than five months' bonus. Two-thirds of the bonus should be made up of the national bonus, and the remaining third based on the individual's performance, which should be determined according to [[performance indicator|key performance indicators]] fixed for each ministry at the start of a new government's term. Moreover, only a portion of bonuses should be paid at the end of each year. Payment of the remainder should be deferred till the end of the government's term. If the minister's performance is poor, some of the withheld bonus should be [[clawback|clawed back]].<ref>{{citation|author=Janice Heng|title=Pay ministers five times an MP's allowance: WP|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=17 January 2012|pages=A1 & A12}}; {{citation|author=Teo Xuanwei|title=No perfect solution to pay conundrum: DPM Teo|newspaper=Today|date=17 January 2012|pages=1 & 4}}.</ref><ref name="Today 20120117">{{citation|author=Tan Weizhen|title=Peg ministerial salaries to MPs' allowances: WP MP|newspaper=Today|date=17 January 2012|page=3}}.</ref> The WP's proposal was criticized by a number of PAP MPs. Senior Minister of State for Health [[Amy Khor]] expressed the view that "[p]olitical service is much more than public service. Civil servants are not subject to the votes of citizens nor do they need to carry the ground in policymaking. ... Pegging ministerial salaries to civil service salaries is not an adequate mechanism to account for the burdens and responsibilities that come with the job."<ref name="Today 20120117"/>

Rounding up the debate, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said that under the WP's proposal for calculating ministerial salaries, the quantum achieved was similar to the sum proposed by the committee, and that in his view the WP had approved the three principles of the new system: the requirement for the pay to be competitive, recognition of the ethos of political service, and the desirability of a "clean wage" system (that is, one in which ministers do not receive additional benefits such as housing and medical allowances).<ref>{{citation|author=Tessa Wong|title=MPs favour clean wage system: Scheme with no hidden perks or benefits would be transparent, they say|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=17 January 2012|page=A11}}.</ref><ref name="ST 20130119">{{citation|author=Li Xueying|title='Real progress' in ministerial pay debate: Opposition's agreement on key points marks a breakthrough: DPM Teo|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=19 January 2012|pages=A1 & A6}}; {{citation|author=Esther Ng|title=A new formula, with a 'common ground': Recommendations on ministerial salaries passed after broad agreement on principles|newspaper=Today|date=19 January 2012|page=1}}.</ref> PAP MPs then voted to endorse the committee's proposals.<ref name="ST 20130119"/>

On 26 March 2012, the Public Service Division of the Prime Minister's Office announced that the fixed component of the salary of a political appointment holder would be 13 months of his or her monthly salary. For 2011, the annual variable component of the salary would be 1.25 months plus $250, while the national bonus would be 2.625 months though appointment holders would receive a [[pro rata]] amount of 1.618 months' pay as the new salaries took effect from 21 May 2011 when the Cabinet was appointed following the general election. The targets for the four indicators making up the national bonus were 2–3% for real median income growth of citizens and real median income growth for the lowest 20th percentile of citizens, 3–5% for real GDP growth, and not more than 4.5% for the unemployment rate of citizens. Each appointment holder's performance bonus would be determined by the Prime Minister.<ref>{{citation|title=Ministers and office-holders to get National Bonus of 1.6 months|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=27 March 2012|page=A3}}; {{citation|title=1.618 months pro-rated National Bonus for political office-holders|newspaper=Today|date=27 March 2012|page=1}}.</ref>

====Pensions====
At present, persons who have reached the age of 50 years and retired as MPs and who have served in this capacity for not less than nine years may be granted a [[pension]] for the rest of their lives. The annual amount payable is {{frac|1|30}} of the person's highest annual salary for every completed year of service and {{frac|1|360}} for every uncompleted year, up to a ceiling of two-thirds of the Member's annual salary.<ref>{{Singapore legislation|title=Parliamentary Pensions Act|cap=219|ed=1996}}, s. 3.</ref> In addition, a retired MP who is at least 50 years old and has for not less than eight years held the office of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, [[Senior Minister of Singapore|Senior Minister]] or Minister<ref>The Parliamentary Pensions Act, s. 2(1), defines ''office'' as "the office of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Speaker, Senior Minister, Minister, Senior Minister of State, Minister of State, Mayor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Parliamentary Secretary or Political Secretary".</ref> may receive an additional pension each year of {{frac|1|27}} of his or her highest annual salary for each completed year of service and {{frac|1|324}} for each uncompleted year, subject again to a ceiling of two-thirds of the office-holder's annual salary.<ref>Parliamentary Pensions Act, s. 4.</ref> Members who have reached the age of 55 years and have served not less than eight years as Ministers may be granted a pension even if they have not yet ceased to hold office.<ref>Parliamentary Pensions Act, s. 5.</ref> No person has an absolute right to compensation for past services or to any pension or gratuity, and the President may reduce or withhold pensions and gratuities upon an MP's conviction for corruption.<ref>Parliamentary Pensions Act, s. 13.</ref>

The committee to Review Ministerial Salaries recommended that pensions for political appointment holders be abolished in favour of [[Central Provident Fund]] payments. Appointment holders appointed on and after 21 May 2011 will not receive any pension, while those appointed before that date will only be eligible for pensions accrued up to that date. Such pensions will be paid after they step down or retire from office.<ref>Ministerial salaries report, pp. 27–28, paras. 79–80.</ref> If the removal of pensions is taken into account, the Prime Minister's annual salary will be reduced from the 2010 figure by 36%, and that of MR4-grade ministers by 37%.<ref name="ST 20120105"/><ref>Ministerial salaries report, pp. 6–7. See also {{citation|author=Elgin Toh|title=Pension system for political office-holders to be scrapped|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=5 January 2012|page=A7}}.</ref>

==Current Cabinet==
{{Main|Fifth Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet}}
{{#section-h:Fifth Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet|Current Cabinet}}

==Timeline of members==
The following is a list of the members of the Cabinet of Singapore since the [[1959 Singaporean general election]]. Members ranked first have held either the office of [[Prime Minister of Singapore|prime minister]], [[Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore|deputy prime minister]], [[Senior Minister of Singapore|senior minister]] or principal cabinet portfolios ([[Ministry of Finance (Singapore)#Ministers|finance]], [[Ministry of Defence (Singapore)#Ministers|defence]], [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)#Ministers|foreign affairs]] and [[Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore)#Ministers|home affairs]]). This list excludes [[ministers of state]] and [[Parliamentary secretary|parliamentary secretaries]].

* '''1st Cabinet''' (formed June 1959): Lee Kuan Yew '''(PM)''', [[Toh Chin Chye]] '''(DPM)''', [[Goh Keng Swee]], [[Ong Pang Boon]]
* '''2nd Cabinet''' (formed October 1963): Lee Kuan Yew, Toh Chin Chye, Goh Keng Swee, [[Lim Kim San]] '''(S)''', [[S. Rajaratnam]] '''(S)'''
* '''3rd Cabinet''' (formed April 1968): Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee, S. Rajaratnam, Ong Pang Boon, [[Hon Sui Sen]] '''(S)''', [[Wong Lin Ken]] '''(S)'''
* '''4th Cabinet''' (formed September 1972): Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee '''(DPM)''', S. Rajaratnam, Hon Sui Sen, [[Edmund W. Barker]], [[Chua Sian Chin]] '''(S)'''
* '''5th Cabinet''' (formed December 1976): Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee, S. Rajaratnam '''(DPM)''', Hon Sui Sen, Chua Sian Chin, [[Howe Yoon Chong]] '''(S)''', [[S. Dhanabalan]] '''(S)'''
* '''6th Cabinet''' (formed January 1981): Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee, S. Rajaratnam, Hon Sui Sen '''(†)''', Chua Sian Chin, Howe Yoon Chong, S. Dhanabalan, Goh Chok Tong '''(S)''', [[Tony Tan]] '''(S)'''
* '''7th Cabinet''' (formed January 1985): Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong '''(DPM)''', Ong Teng Cheong '''(DPM)''', S. Rajaratnam '''(SM)''', S. Dhanabalan, Tony Tan, [[S. Jayakumar]], [[Richard Hu]] '''(S)'''
* '''8th Cabinet''' (formed September 1988): Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, Ong Teng Cheong, S. Jayakumar, Richard Hu, [[Wong Kan Seng]]
* '''9th Cabinet''' (formed November 1990): Goh Chok Tong '''(PM)''', Lee Kuan Yew '''(SM)''', Ong Teng Cheong, Lee Hsien Loong '''(DPM)''', S. Jayakumar, Richard Hu, Wong Kan Seng, [[Yeo Ning Hong]] '''(S)'''
* '''10th Cabinet''' (formed September 1991): Goh Chok Tong, Lee Kuan Yew, Ong Teng Cheong, Lee Hsien Loong, Tony Tan '''(DPM)''', S. Jayakumar, Richard Hu, Wong Kan Seng, Yeo Ning Hong, [[Lee Boon Yang]] '''(S)'''
* '''11th Cabinet''' (formed January 1997): Goh Chok Tong, Lee Kuan Yew, Lee Hsien Loong, Tony Tan, S. Jayakumar, Wong Kan Seng
* '''12th Cabinet''' (formed November 2001): Goh Chok Tong, Lee Kuan Yew, Lee Hsien Loong, Tony Tan, S. Jayakumar, Wong Kan Seng, [[Teo Chee Hean]] '''(S)'''
* '''13th Cabinet''' (formed August 2004): Lee Hsien Loong '''(PM)''', Goh Chok Tong '''(SM)''', Lee Kuan Yew '''(MM)''', Tony Tan, S. Jayakumar '''(DPM)''', Wong Kan Seng, Teo Chee Hean, [[George Yeo]]
* '''14th Cabinet''' (formed May 2006): Lee Hsien Loong, Goh Chok Tong, Lee Kuan Yew, Teo Chee Hean '''(DPM)''', Wong Kan Seng '''(DPM)''', S. Jayakumar '''(SM)''', George Yeo '''(L)''', [[Tharman Shanmugaratnam]] '''(S)''', [[K. Shanmugam]] '''(S)'''
* '''15th Cabinet''' (formed May 2011): Lee Hsien Loong, Teo Chee Hean, Tharman Shanmugaratnam '''(DPM)''', K. Shanmugam, [[Ng Eng Hen]]
* '''16th Cabinet''' (formed September 2015): Lee Hsien Loong, [[Heng Swee Keat]] '''(DPM)''', Teo Chee Hean '''(SM)''', Tharman Shanmugaratnam '''(SM)''', K. Shanmugam, Ng Eng Hen, [[Vivian Balakrishnan]]
* '''17th Cabinet''' (formed July 2020): Lee Hsien Loong, Heng Swee Keat, [[Lawrence Wong]] '''(DPM)''', Teo Chee Hean, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, K. Shanmugam, Ng Eng Hen, Vivian Balakrishnan

Notes: 
* '''(PM)''': Appointed Prime Minister
* '''(DPM)''': Appointed Deputy Prime Minister
* '''(SM)''': Appointed Senior Minister
* '''(MM)''': Appointed Minister Mentor
* '''(S)''': Appointed via cabinet reshuffle
* '''(L)''': Lost re-election
* '''(†)''': Died in office

{{#tag:timeline| 
ImageSize = width:1230 height:auto barincrement:11
PlotArea  = top:30 bottom:50 right:190 left:20
AlignBars = late

Define $start = 01/01/1959
Define $now = {{#time:d/m/Y|+8 hours}}
Define $end = 01/01/2030

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:$start till:$end
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1960

Colors =
 Id:pm   value:rgb(1,0,0)  legend: Prime_minister
 Id:dpm  value:rgb(0,1,0)  legend: Deputy_prime_minister 
 Id:sm	value:rgb(0,1,1)	legend: Senior_minister
 Id:mof value:rgb(0.7,0.7,0.7) legend: Finance_minister
 Id:mindef value:teal legend: Defence_minister
 Id:mfa value:yellow legend: Foreign_affairs_minister
 Id:mha value:lightpurple legend: Home_affairs_minister
 Id:moe value:orange legend: Education_minister
 Id:cabinet value:rgb(0,0,1)  legend: Cabinet	
 Id:mp value:rgb(0.75,0.75,1) legend: MP_(non-Cabinet)
 Id:time value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
 Id:none	value:rgb(1,1,1)

Legend = orientation:vertical  position:right

# Definition of cabinets.

Define $cb1 = 05/06/1959
Define $merger = 16/09/1963
Define $cb2 = 19/10/1963
Define $independence = 09/08/1965
Define $cb3 = 16/04/1968
Define $cb4 = 16/09/1972
Define $cb5 = 31/12/1976
Define $cb6 = 06/01/1981
Define $cb7 = 02/01/1985
Define $cb8 = 13/09/1988
Define $bufferdash = 01/08/1989
Define $gch2 = 20/03/1990
Define $cb9 = 28/11/1990
Define $cb10 = 07/09/1991
Define $cb11 = 25/01/1997
Define $cb12 = 23/11/2001
Define $bufferdash2 = 18/03/2003
Define $lhl1 = 09/09/2003
Define $cb13 = 12/08/2004
Define $cb14 = 30/05/2006
Define $cb15 = 21/05/2011
Define $cb16 = 01/10/2015
Define $cb17 = 27/07/2020

# Definition of general elections.

Define $ge4 = 30/05/1959
Define $ge5 = 21/09/1963
Define $be65 = 10/07/1965
Define $ge6 = 13/04/1968
Define $be70 = 18/04/1970
Define $ge7 = 02/09/1972
Define $ge8 = 23/12/1976
Define $be79 = 10/02/1979
Define $ge9 = 23/12/1980
Define $ge10 = 22/12/1984
Define $ge11 = 03/09/1988
Define $ge12 = 31/08/1991
Define $be92 = 19/12/1992
Define $ge13 = 02/01/1997
Define $ge14 = 03/11/2001
Define $ge15 = 06/05/2006
Define $ge16 = 07/05/2011
Define $ge17 = 11/09/2015
Define $ge18 = 10/07/2020

LineData =
 layer:back
 width:0.1
 color:time
 at:$cb1
 at:$cb2
 at:$cb3
 at:$cb4
 at:$cb5
 at:$cb6
 at:$cb7
 at:$cb8
 at:$cb9
 at:$cb10
 at:$cb11
 at:$cb12
 at:$cb13
 at:$cb14
 at:$cb15
 at:$cb16
 at:$cb17

TextData =
  fontsize:8
  tabs:(0-right)

BarData =
 barset:PM
 bar:cb0
 bar:cb1
 bar:spacer00

#1959 GE batch:
 bar:lky
 bar:tohchinchye
 bar:gohkengswee
 bar:srajaratnam
 bar:ongpangboon
 bar:yongnyuklin
 bar:kmbyrne
 bar:ahmadibrahim
 bar:ongengguan
 bar:tankiagan

#1963 GE batch:
 bar:limkimsan
 bar:jekyeunthong
 bar:othmanwok
 bar:edmundwbarker

#1968 GE batch:
 bar:chuasianchin
 bar:leechiawmeng
 bar:wonglinken

#1970 by-elections:
 bar:honsuisen

#1972 GE batch:
 bar:ongtengcheong
 bar:ahmadmattar

#1976 GE batch:
 bar:gohchoktong
 bar:sdhanabalan
 bar:limcheeonn

#1979 by-elections:
 bar:howeyoonchong
 bar:tonytan
 bar:tehcheangwan

#1980 GE batch:
 bar:sjayakumar
 bar:yeoninghong
 bar:leeyocksuan
 bar:limboonheng

#1984 GE batch:
 bar:richardhu
 bar:leehsienloong
 bar:wongkanseng
 bar:yeocheowtong
 bar:leeboonyang
 bar:abdullahtarmugi

#1988 GE batch:
 bar:georgeyeo
 bar:kshanmugam
 bar:mahbowtan

#1991 GE batch:
 bar:limhngkiang

#1992 by-election:
 bar:teocheehean

#1997 GE batch:
 bar:limsweesay
 bar:yaacobibrahim
 bar:limhweehua
 bar:siswaran

#2001 GE batch:
 bar:tharmanshanmugaratnam
 bar:ngenghen
 bar:vivianbalakrishnan
 bar:khawboonwan
 bar:raymondlim
 bar:gankimyong
 bar:indraneerajah
 bar:malikiosman

#2006 GE batch:
 bar:luituckyew
 bar:gracefu
 bar:masagoszulkifli
 bar:josephineteo

#2011 GE batch:
 bar:hengsweekeat
 bar:lawrencewong
 bar:chanchunsing
 bar:tanchuanjin
 bar:desmondlee
 bar:edwintong

#2015 GE batch:
 bar:ongyekung
 bar:ngcheemeng

#2020 GE batch:
 bar:tanseeleng

PlotData=
 width:6 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
 barset:PM

 bar:cb0 from: $cb1 till: $cb1  color:time text:"[[First Lee Kuan Yew Cabinet|1st]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb1 till: $cb1  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb2 till: $cb2  color:time text:"[[Second Lee Kuan Yew Cabinet|2nd]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb2 till: $cb2  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb3 till: $cb3  color:time text:"[[Third Lee Kuan Yew Cabinet|3rd]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb3 till: $cb3  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb4 till: $cb4  color:time text:"[[Fourth Lee Kuan Yew Cabinet|4th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb4 till: $cb4  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb5 till: $cb5  color:time text:"[[Fifth Lee Kuan Yew Cabinet|5th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb5 till: $cb5  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb6 till: $cb6  color:time text:"[[Sixth Lee Kuan Yew Cabinet|6th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb6 till: $cb6  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb7 till: $cb7  color:time text:"[[Seventh Lee Kuan Yew Cabinet|7th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb7 till: $cb7  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb8 till: $cb8  color:time text:"[[Eighth Lee Kuan Yew Cabinet|8th]]"
 bar:cb0 from: $bufferdash till:$bufferdash color:time text:" – "
 bar:cb0 from: $gch2 till:$gch2 color:time text:"[[First Goh Chok Tong Cabinet|9th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb8 till: $cb8  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb10 till:$cb10 color:time text:"[[Second Goh Chok Tong Cabinet|10th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb10 till: $cb10  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb11 till:$cb11 color:time text:"[[Third Goh Chok Tong Cabinet|11th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb11 till: $cb11  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb12 till:$cb12 color:time text:"[[Fourth Goh Chok Tong Cabinet|12th]]"
 bar:cb0 from: $bufferdash2 till: $bufferdash2  color:time text:" – "
 bar:cb0 from: $lhl1 till: $lhl1  color:time text:"[[First Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet|13th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb12 till: $cb12  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb14 till: $cb14  color:time text:"[[Second Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet|14th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb14 till: $cb14  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb15 till: $cb15  color:time text:"[[Third Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet|15th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb15 till: $cb15  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb16 till: $cb16  color:time text:"[[Fourth Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet|16th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb16 till: $cb16  color:time text:"Cabinet"
 bar:cb0 from: $cb17 till: $cb17  color:time text:"[[Fifth Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet|17th]]"
 bar:cb1 from: $cb17 till: $cb17  color:time text:"Cabinet"

 bar:lky from: $ge4 till: 23/03/2015  color:mp  text:"[[Lee Kuan Yew]]"
 bar:lky from: $cb1 till: $cb9  color:pm
 bar:lky from: $cb9 till: $cb13  color:sm
 bar:lky from: $cb13 till: $cb15 color:cabinet  

 bar:tohchinchye from: $ge4 till: 17/08/1988  color:mp  text:"[[Toh Chin Chye]]"
 bar:tohchinchye from: $cb1 till: 02/08/1968  color:dpm
 bar:tohchinchye from: 02/08/1965 till: $cb6  color:cabinet    

 bar:gohkengswee from: $ge4 till: $cb1  color:mp
 bar:gohkengswee from: $cb1 till: $independence  color:mof
 bar:gohkengswee from: $independence till: 16/08/1967  color:mindef 
 bar:gohkengswee from: 16/08/1967 till: 10/08/1970  color:mof
 bar:gohkengswee from: 10/08/1970 till: 20/03/1973  color:mindef
 bar:gohkengswee from: 20/03/1973 till: $cb7  color:dpm   text:"[[Goh Keng Swee]]"

 bar:srajaratnam from: $ge4 till: $cb1  color:mp
 bar:srajaratnam from: $cb1 till: $independence  color:cabinet
 bar:srajaratnam from: $independence till: 01/06/1980 color:mfa
 bar:srajaratnam from: 01/06/1980 till: $cb7  color:dpm
 bar:srajaratnam from: $cb7 till: $ge11  color:sm
 bar:srajaratnam from: $ge11 till: $cb8  color:cabinet   text:"[[S. Rajaratnam]]"

 bar:ongpangboon from: $ge4 till: $ge11  color:mp text:"[[Ong Pang Boon]]"
 bar:ongpangboon from: $cb1 till: $merger color:mha
 bar:ongpangboon from: $merger till: $cb2  color:cabinet
 bar:ongpangboon from: $cb2 till: 10/08/1970  color:moe
 bar:ongpangboon from: 10/08/1970 till: $cb7  color:cabinet  

 bar:yongnyuklin from: $ge4 till: $be79  color:mp  text:"[[Yong Nyuk Lin]]"
 bar:yongnyuklin from: $cb1 till: 31/07/1975  color:cabinet   

 bar:kmbyrne from: $ge4 till: $ge5  color:mp   text:"[[Kenneth Michael Byrne]]"
 bar:kmbyrne from: $cb1 till: $cb2  color:cabinet  

 bar:ahmadibrahim from: $ge4 till: $cb1  color:mp  
 bar:ahmadibrahim from: $cb1 till: 21/08/1962  color:cabinet  text:"[[Ahmad Ibrahim (Singaporean politician)|Ahmad Ibrahim]]"

 bar:ongengguan from: $ge4 till: $be65  color:mp  text:"[[Ong Eng Guan]]"
 bar:ongengguan from: $cb1 till: 20/06/1960  color:cabinet 

 bar:tankiagan from: $ge4 till: $ge5  color:mp  
 bar:tankiagan from: 25/08/1960 till: $cb2  color:cabinet  text:"[[Tan Kia Gan]]"

 bar:limkimsan from: $ge5  till: $ge9   color:mp  
 bar:limkimsan from: $cb2  till: $independence  color:cabinet
 bar:limkimsan from: $independence till: 17/08/1967  color:mof
 bar:limkimsan from: 17/08/1967 till: 11/08/1970  color:mindef
 bar:limkimsan from: 11/08/1970 till: $cb4  color:moe
 bar:limkimsan from: $cb4 till: $cb6  color:cabinet  text:"[[Lim Kim San]]"

 bar:jekyeunthong from: $ge5  till: $ge9   color:mp  
 bar:jekyeunthong  from:$cb2  till: $cb6  color:cabinet  text:"[[Jek Yeun Thong]]"
 
 bar:othmanwok from: $ge5 till: $ge9  color:mp  
 bar:othmanwok from: $cb2 till: $cb6  color:cabinet  text:"[[Othman Wok]]"

 bar:edmundwbarker from: $ge5 till: $ge11  color:mp  
 bar:edmundwbarker from: 31/10/1964 till: $cb4  color:cabinet
 bar:edmundwbarker from: $cb4 till: 31/10/1972  color:mha
 bar:edmundwbarker from: 31/10/1972 till: $cb8 color:cabinet  text:"[[Edmund W. Barker]]"

 bar:chuasianchin from: $ge6 till: $ge12  color:mp   text:"[[Chua Sian Chin]]"
 bar:chuasianchin from: $cb3 till: 31/10/1972  color:cabinet 
 bar:chuasianchin from: 31/10/1972 till: $cb7  color:mha 

 bar:leechiawmeng from: $ge6 till: $ge10  color:mp  text:"[[Lee Chiaw Meng]]"
 bar:leechiawmeng from: $cb4 till: 01/06/1975  color:moe
 bar:leechiawmeng from: 01/06/1975 till: $cb5  color:cabinet  

 bar:wonglinken from: $ge6 till: $ge8  color:mp  text:"[[Wong Lin Ken]]"
 bar:wonglinken from: 06/09/1970 till: $cb4  color:mha  

 bar:honsuisen from: $be70 till: 14/10/1983  color:mp  text:"[[Hon Sui Sen]]"
 bar:honsuisen from: 11/08/1970 till: 14/10/1983  color:mof  
 
 bar:ongtengcheong from: $ge7 till: 16/08/1993  color:mp  text:"[[Ong Teng Cheong]]"
 bar:ongtengcheong from: 01/07/1978 till: $cb7  color:cabinet
 bar:ongtengcheong from: $cb7 till: 16/08/1993  color:dpm   

 bar:ahmadmattar from: $ge7 till: $ge13  color:mp  text:"[[Ahmad Mattar]]"
 bar:ahmadmattar from: 01/06/1984 till: 30/06/1993  color:cabinet   

 bar:gohchoktong from: $ge8 till: $ge18  color:mp  text:"[[Goh Chok Tong]]"
 bar:gohchoktong from: 15/03/1979 till: 01/06/1982  color:cabinet
 bar:gohchoktong from: 01/06/1982 till: $cb7  color:mindef
 bar:gohchoktong from: $cb7 till: $cb9  color:dpm 
 bar:gohchoktong from: $cb9 till: $cb13  color:pm
 bar:gohchoktong from: $cb13 till: $cb15  color:sm  

 bar:sdhanabalan from: $ge8 till: $ge13  color:mp  text:"[[S. Dhanabalan]]"
 bar:sdhanabalan from: 01/06/1980 till: $cb8  color:mfa
 bar:sdhanabalan from: $cb8 till: 01/01/1993  color:cabinet  

 bar:limcheeonn  from: $ge8 till: $be92  color:mp  text:"[[Lim Chee Onn]]"
 bar:limcheeonn  from: 15/09/1980 till: 01/08/1983  color:cabinet  

 bar:howeyoonchong from: $be79 till: $ge10  color:mp
 bar:howeyoonchong from: 12/02/1979 till: 01/06/1982  color:mindef 
 bar:howeyoonchong from: 01/06/1982 till: $cb7  color: cabinet  text:"[[Howe Yoon Chong]]"

 bar:tonytan from: $be79 till: $ge15  color:mp  text:"[[Tony Tan]]"
 bar:tonytan from: 24/10/1983 till: $cb7  color:mof
 bar:tonytan from: $cb7 till: 31/08/1991  color:moe
 bar:tonytan from: 01/08/1995 till: 01/09/2005 color:dpm  

 bar:tehcheangwan from: $be79  till: 14/12/1986  color:mp
 bar:tehcheangwan from: 01/02/1979  till: 14/12/1986  color:cabinet  text:"[[Teh Cheang Wan]]"

 bar:sjayakumar from: $ge9 till: $ge16  color:mp
 bar:sjayakumar from: 01/06/1984 till: $cb7 color:cabinet
 bar:sjayakumar from: $cb7 till: 02/01/1994  color:mha
 bar:sjayakumar from: 02/01/1994 till: $cb13  color:mfa
 bar:sjayakumar from: $cb13 till: 01/04/2009  color:dpm
 bar:sjayakumar from: 01/04/2009 till: $cb15  color:sm  text:"[[S. Jayakumar (Singaporean politician)|S. Jayakumar]]"

 bar:yeoninghong from: $ge9 till: 01/07/1994  color:mp  text:"[[Yeo Ning Hong]]"
 bar:yeoninghong from: 01/06/1984 till: 01/07/1991 color:cabinet
 bar:yeoninghong from: 01/07/1991 till: 01/07/1994 color:mindef  

 bar:leeyocksuan from: $ge9 till: $ge15  color:mp  text:"[[Lee Yock Suan]]"
 bar:leeyocksuan from: 01/01/1987 till: 02/01/1992  color:cabinet
 bar:leeyocksuan from: 02/01/1992 till: $cb11  color:moe
 bar:leeyocksuan from: $cb11 till: $cb13  color:cabinet  

 bar:limboonheng from: $ge9 till: $ge16  color:mp  text:"[[Lim Boon Heng]]"
 bar:limboonheng from: 11/10/1993 till: $cb15  color:cabinet  

 bar:richardhu from: $ge10 till: $ge14  color:mp  text:"[[Richard Hu]]"
 bar:richardhu from: $cb7 till: 07/05/1985  color:cabinet
 bar:richardhu from: 07/05/1985 till: 09/11/2001  color:mof  

 bar:leehsienloong from: $ge10 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Lee Hsien Loong]]"
 bar:leehsienloong from: 01/01/1987 till: $cb9 color:cabinet
 bar:leehsienloong from: $cb9 till: $cb13  color:dpm
 bar:leehsienloong from: $cb13 till: $now  color:pm  

 bar:wongkanseng from: $ge10 till: $ge17  color:mp  text:"[[Wong Kan Seng]]"
 bar:wongkanseng from: 01/01/1987 till: $cb8  color:cabinet
 bar:wongkanseng from: $cb8 till: 02/01/1994  color:mfa
 bar:wongkanseng from: 02/01/1994 till: 01/09/2005 color:mha 
 bar:wongkanseng from: 01/09/2005 till: $cb15  color:dpm  
 
 bar:yeocheowtong from: $ge10 till: $ge16  color:mp  text:"[[Yeo Cheow Tong]]"
 bar:yeocheowtong from: $cb9 till: 29/06/2006  color:cabinet  

 bar:leeboonyang from: $ge10 till: $ge16  color:mp  text:"[[Lee Boon Yang]]"
 bar:leeboonyang from: 01/07/1991 till: 02/07/1994  color:cabinet
 bar:leeboonyang from: 02/07/1994 till: 01/08/1995  color:mindef
 bar:leeboonyang from: 01/08/1995 till: 01/04/2009  color:cabinet  

 bar:abdullahtarmugi from: $ge10 till: $ge16  color:mp  text:"[[Abdullah Tarmugi]]"
 bar:abdullahtarmugi from: 30/06/1993 till: 24/03/2002  color:cabinet 

 bar:georgeyeo from: $ge11 till: $ge16  color:mp  text:"[[George Yeo]]"
 bar:georgeyeo from: 01/07/1991 till: $cb13 color:cabinet
 bar:georgeyeo from: $cb13 till: $cb15  color:mfa  

 bar:kshanmugam from: $ge11 till: $now color:mp  text:"[[K. Shanmugam]]"
 bar:kshanmugam from: 01/05/2008 till: 01/11/2010  color:cabinet
 bar:kshanmugam from: 01/11/2010 till: $cb15  color:mha
 bar:kshanmugam from: $cb15 till: $cb16  color:mfa
 bar:kshanmugam from: $cb16 till: $now  color:mha 

 bar:mahbowtan from: $ge11 till: $ge17  color:mp  text:"[[Mah Bow Tan]]"
 bar:mahbowtan from: $cb10 till: $cb15  color:cabinet  

 bar:limhngkiang from: $ge12 till: $ge18  color:mp  text:"[[Lim Hng Kiang]]"
 bar:limhngkiang from: 17/04/1995 till: 30/04/2018  color:cabinet 

 bar:teocheehean from: $be92 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Teo Chee Hean]]"
 bar:teocheehean from: 15/01/1996 till: $cb11  color:cabinet
 bar:teocheehean from: $cb11 till: 01/08/2003  color:moe
 bar:teocheehean from: 01/08/2003 till: 01/04/2009  color:mindef
 bar:teocheehean from: 01/04/2009 till: 01/04/2019  color:dpm
 bar:teocheehean from: 01/04/2019 till: $now  color:sm    

 bar:limsweesay from: $ge13 till: $ge18  color:mp  text:"[[Lim Swee Say]]"
 bar:limsweesay from: $cb12 till: 30/04/2018  color:cabinet  

 bar:yaacobibrahim from: $ge13 till: $ge18  color:mp  text:"[[Yaacob Ibrahim]]"
 bar:yaacobibrahim from: 25/03/2002 till: 30/04/2018  color:cabinet  

 bar:limhweehua from: $ge13 till: $ge16  color:mp
 bar:limhweehua from: 01/04/2009 till: $cb15  color:cabinet  text:"[[Lim Hwee Hua]]"

 bar:siswaran from: $ge13 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[S. Iswaran]]"
 bar:siswaran from: $cb15 till: $now  color:cabinet  

 bar:tharmanshanmugaratnam from: $ge14 till: $now color:mp   text:"[[Tharman Shanmugaratnam]]"
 bar:tharmanshanmugaratnam from: 01/08/2003 till: 01/12/2007  color:moe
 bar:tharmanshanmugaratnam from: 01/12/2007 till: $cb15   color:mof
 bar:tharmanshanmugaratnam from: $cb15 till: 01/05/2019   color:dpm
 bar:tharmanshanmugaratnam from: 01/05/2019 till: $now  color:sm

 bar:ngenghen from: $ge14 till: $now color:mp  text:"[[Ng Eng Hen]]"
 bar:ngenghen from: $cb13 till: 01/04/2008  color:cabinet
 bar:ngenghen from: 01/04/2008 till: $cb15  color:moe
 bar:ngenghen from: $cb15 till: $now  color:mindef  

 bar:vivianbalakrishnan from: $ge14 till: $now color:mp  text:"[[Vivian Balakrishnan]]"
 bar:vivianbalakrishnan  from: $cb13  till: $cb16  color:cabinet
 bar:vivianbalakrishnan  from: $cb16  till: $now  color:mfa  

 bar:khawboonwan from: $ge14 till: $ge18 color:mp  
 bar:khawboonwan from: $cb13 till: $cb17  color:cabinet  text:"[[Khaw Boon Wan]]"

 bar:raymondlim from: $ge14 till: $ge17  color:mp  text:"[[Raymond Lim]]"
 bar:raymondlim from: $cb13 till: $cb15  color:cabinet   

 bar:gankimyong from: $ge14 till: $now color:mp  text:"[[Gan Kim Yong]]"
 bar:gankimyong from: 01/04/2009 till: $now  color:cabinet  

 bar:indraneerajah from: $ge14 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Indranee Rajah]]"
 bar:indraneerajah from: 01/05/2018 till: $now  color:cabinet  

 bar:malikiosman from: $ge14 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Maliki Osman]]"
 bar:malikiosman from: $cb17 till: $now  color:cabinet  

 bar:luituckyew from: $ge15 till: $ge17 color:mp  
 bar:luituckyew from: 01/11/2010 till: $cb16  color:cabinet  text:"[[Lui Tuck Yew]]"

 bar:gracefu from: $ge15 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Grace Fu]]"
 bar:gracefu from: 01/08/2012 till: $now  color:cabinet 

 bar:masagoszulkifli from: $ge15 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Masagos Zulkifli]]"
 bar:masagoszulkifli from: 09/04/2015 till: $now color:cabinet  

 bar:josephineteo from: $ge15 till: $now color:mp  text:"[[Josephine Teo]]"
 bar:josephineteo from: 01/05/2017 till: $now  color:cabinet  

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 bar:hengsweekeat from: 01/05/2019 till: $now  color:dpm   text:"[[Heng Swee Keat]]"

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 bar:chanchunsing from: $ge16 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Chan Chun Sing]]"
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 bar:tanchuanjin from: $ge16 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Tan Chuan-Jin]]"
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 bar:ongyekung from: $ge17 till: $now  color:mp  text:"[[Ong Ye Kung]]"
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 bar:ngcheemeng from: $ge17 till: 01/11/2016  color:mp
 bar:ngcheemeng from: 01/11/2016 till: 30/04/2018  color:moe  text:"[[Ng Chee Meng]]"

 bar:tanseeleng from: $ge18 till: $cb17  color:mp
 bar:tanseeleng from: $cb17 till: $now  color:cabinet  text:"[[Tan See Leng]]"
}}

==See also==
*[[Cabinet (government)]]
*[[Government of Singapore]]
*[[Parliament of Singapore]]

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|35em}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{citation |last = Chia |first = Sue-Ann |title = Teo Chee Hean named Deputy Prime Minister |url = http://www.pmo.gov.sg/News/PressReleases/News+articles+on+cabinet+changes+and+other+appointments.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090510025733/http://www.pmo.gov.sg/News/PressReleases/News+articles+on+cabinet+changes+and+other+appointments.htm |archive-date = 10 May 2009 |newspaper=[[The Straits Times]] (reproduced on the website of the Prime Minister's Office) |date=27 March 2009 |page=A1 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all |access-date=24 April 2009 }}.
* {{Singapore legislation |title=Constitution|ed=1985|rep=1999}}.
* {{citation |last = Lau |first = Wah Ming, Secretary to the Cabinet |title = Code of Conduct for Ministers |url = http://www.getformesingapore.com/previous2005/020805_codeofconductforministers.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080612064850/http://www.getformesingapore.com/previous2005/020805_codeofconductforministers.htm |archive-date=12 June 2008 |publisher=Cabinet of Singapore (reproduced on the Getforme Singapore website) |date = 4 July 2005 |access-date=26 April 2009 }}.
* {{citation |last=Loh |first=Chee Kong |title = A team for new challenges |url = http://www.todayonline.com/articles/309963.asp |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090329114041/http://www.todayonline.com/articles/309963.asp |archive-date=29 March 2009 |newspaper=[[Today (Singapore newspaper)|Today]] |date = 27 March 2009 |pages = 1, 3 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}.
* {{Singapore legislation|title=Parliamentary Pensions Act|cap=219|ed=1996}}.
* {{citation |title = Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government |url = http://reviewcommittee2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/salaries-for-a-capable-and-committed-govt.pdf |format=PDF |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120104154450/http://reviewcommittee2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/salaries-for-a-capable-and-committed-govt.pdf |archive-date=4 January 2012 |location=Singapore |publisher=Committee to Review Ministerial Salaries |date=30 December 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}.
*{{citation |last=Tan|first=Kevin Yew Lee|chapter=A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore|editor-last=Tan|editor-first=Kevin Y. L. |title=The Singapore Legal System|edition=2nd|location=Singapore|publisher=[[National University of Singapore|Singapore University Press]]|year=1999|pages=26–66|isbn=978-9971-69-213-1}}.
*{{citation|last=Thio|first=Li-ann|author-link=Thio Li-ann|chapter=The Constitutional Framework of Powers|editor-last=Tan|editor-first=Kevin Y. L. |title=The Singapore Legal System|edition=2nd|location=Singapore|publisher=Singapore University Press|year=1999|pages=67–122|isbn=978-9971-69-213-1}}.
{{refend}}

==Further reading==

===Books===
*{{citation|last=Chan|first=Helena H[ui-]M[eng]|chapter=The Executive|title=The Legal System of Singapore|location=Singapore|publisher=[[LexisNexis Butterworths|Butterworths Asia]]|year=1995|pages=22–29|isbn=978-0-409-99789-7}}.
*{{citation|last=Jennings|first=Ivor|author-link=Ivor Jennings|title=Cabinet Government|edition=3rd|location=Cambridge|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|year=1980|isbn=978-0-521-09570-9}}.
*{{citation|last=Quah |first=John S.T. |chapter=Paying for the 'Best and Brightest': Reward for High Public Office in Singapore |url=http://www.jonstquah.com/documents/QuahJon-2003.pdf |format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713120021/http://www.jonstquah.com/documents/QuahJon-2003.pdf |archive-date=13 July 2011 |editor-last=Hood |editor-first=Christopher |editor-link=Christopher Hood |editor2-last=Peters |editor2-first=B. Guy |editor3-last=Lee |editor3-first=Grace O.M. |title=Reward for High Public Office: Asian and Pacific Rim States [Routledge research in comparative politics; 3] |location=London |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2003 |pages=145–162 |isbn=978-0-415-30349-1 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}.
*{{citation|last=Tan|first=Kevin Y L|last2=Thio|first2=Li-ann|chapter=The Executive|title=Tan, Yeo & Lee's Constitutional Law in Malaysia and Singapore|edition=2nd|location=Singapore|publisher=Butterworths Asia|year=1997|pages=181–243|isbn=978-0-409-99908-2}}.
*{{citation |last=Thio |first=Li-ann |chapter=Government and the State |url=https://archive.org/details/criminaljusticei0000grif |format=PDF |title=ASEAN Legal Systems |location=Singapore |publisher=Butterworths Asia for the [[Association of Southeast Asian Nations|ASEAN]] Law Association |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-409-99802-3 |df=dmy |url-access=registration }}.

===News reports===
*{{citation|last=Ong|first=Andrea|title=What price a minister? 42 years of controversy|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=6 January 2012|pages=A26–A27}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Government ministers of Singapore}}
*[http://www.cabinet.gov.sg/ Official website of the Cabinet of Singapore]
*[http://www.cabinet.gov.sg/content/cabinet/appointments.html Appointments to the Cabinet of Singapore]
*[http://www.gov.sg/ Official website of the Government of Singapore]

{{Singapore cabinets}}
{{Current Cabinet of Singapore}}
{{Government of Singapore}}
{{Constitution of Singapore}}
{{Law of Singapore}}
{{Singapore topics}}
{{Asia topic|Cabinet of|title=National cabinets of Asia}}

{{Good article}}
{{Use British English Oxford spelling|date=July 2013}}

[[Category:Executive branch of the government of Singapore]]
[[Category:National cabinets|Singapore]]