Deputy Prime Minister of the
Republic of Singapore
Coat of arms of Singapore
Flag of Singapore
Incumbent
Heng Swee Keat
since 1 May 2019
Lawrence Wong
since 13 June 2022
Style
AbbreviationDPM
AppointerPrime Minister of Singapore
Term lengthAt the Prime Minister's pleasure
Inaugural holderToh Chin Chye
Formation3 June 1959 (1959-06-03)
SalaryS$1,870,000 annually
(including S$192,500 MP salary)
Websitewww.pmo.gov.sg

The deputy prime minister of Singapore is the deputy head of government of the Republic of Singapore. The incumbent deputy prime ministers are Heng Swee Keat and Lawrence Wong, who took office on 1 May 2019 and 13 June 2022 respectively.

History

The deputy prime minister is the second highest post, and is a senior Cabinet minister in Singapore. Since the mid-1980s, Singapore has had two deputy prime ministers at a time. The holder will sometimes assume the role of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent from Singapore.

The office of Deputy Prime Minister dates back to 1959 and it was first appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara, when Singapore attained self-governance from the British Empire.

The title of Deputy Prime Minister remained unchanged after the merger with the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and North Borneo to form Malaysia, while Singapore was a federated state of Malaysia between 1963 and 1965. Toh Chin Chye was the first deputy prime minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1968.

Heng Swee Keat was appointed as Minister of Finance and soon after assumed the office as Deputy Prime Minister on 1 May 2019. Both Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam relinquished their positions. Heng Swee Keat was widely believed to be poised to succeed Lee Hsien Loong as the next prime minister following his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister in May 2019.

Heng subsequently withdrew himself from the nomination in April 2021 citing age and health reasons and relinquished his finance portfolio.[1][2]

Lawrence Wong assumed the office as Deputy Prime Minister on 13 June 2022, serving alongside Heng Swee Keat after being appointed as Minister of Finance. [3]

List of deputy prime ministers

Political parties
No. Portrait Name
Constituency
(Birth–Death)		 Term of office Political party Cabinet
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Toh Chin Chye
(1921–2012)
MP for Rochore		 5 June 1959 2 August 1968 9 years,
58 days		 PAP Lee K. I
Lee K. II
Vacant (2 August 1968–1 March 1973)
2 Goh Keng Swee
(1918–2010)
MP for Kreta Ayer		 1 March 1973 1 January 1985 11 years,
306 days		 PAP Lee K. IV
Lee K. V
Lee K. VI
3 S. Rajaratnam
(1915–2006)
MP for Kreta Ayer		 1 June 1980 1 January 1985 4 years,
214 days		 PAP Lee K. V
Lee K. VI
4 Goh Chok Tong
(born 1941)
MP for Marine Parade SMC
(1976–1988)
MP for Marine Parade GRC
(1988–2020)		 2 January 1985 28 November 1990 5 years,
330 days		 PAP Lee K. VII
Lee K. VIII
4 Ong Teng Cheong
(1936–2002)
MP for Kim Keat SMC
(1972–1991)
MP for Toa Payoh GRC
(1991–1993)		 2 January 1985 1 September 1993 8 years,
242 days		 PAP Lee K. VII
Lee K. VIII
Goh I
Goh II
5 Lee Hsien Loong
(born 1952)
MP for Teck Ghee SMC
(1984–1991)
MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC
(from 1991)		 28 November 1990 12 August 2004 13 years,
258 days		 PAP Goh I
Goh II
Goh III
Goh IV
6 Tony Tan
(born 1940)
MP for Sembawang GRC		 1 August 1995 1 September 2005 10 years,
31 days		 PAP Goh II
Goh III
Goh IV
Lee H. I
7 S. Jayakumar
(born 1939)
MP for East Coast GRC		 12 August 2004 1 April 2009 4 years,
232 days		 PAP Lee H. I
Lee H. II
8 Wong Kan Seng
(born 1946)
MP for Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC		 1 September 2005 21 May 2011 5 years,
262 days		 PAP Lee H. I
Lee H. II
9 Teo Chee Hean
(born 1954)
MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC		 1 April 2009 30 April 2019 10 years,
30 days		 PAP Lee H. II
Lee H. III
Lee H. IV
10 Tharman Shanmugaratnam
(born 1957)
MP for Jurong GRC		 21 May 2011 30 April 2019 7 years,
345 days		 PAP Lee H. III
Lee H. IV
11 Heng Swee Keat
(born 1960)
MP for Tampines GRC
(2011–2020)
MP for East Coast GRC
(from 2020)		 1 May 2019 Incumbent 4 years, 251 days PAP Lee H. IV
Lee H. V
12 Lawrence Wong
(born 1972)
MP for Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC		 13 June 2022 Incumbent 1 year, 209 days PAP Lee H. V

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Ang, Hwee Min (8 April 2021). "DPM Heng Swee Keat steps aside as leader of PAP 4G team, PM Lee accepts decision". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "Heng Swee Keat to be promoted to DPM in Cabinet reshuffle". Channel NewsAsia. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  3. ↑ katherine_chen (6 June 2022). "PMO | Changes to Cabinet and Other Appointments (June 2022)". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
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