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Singapore has announced that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will take over as the country's next Prime Minister on May 15, according to Al Jazeera.
Wong, 51, will succeed Lee Hsien Loong who has held the top job for two decades. Lee will "relinquish his office on 15 May 2024", the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Monday evening. "He will formally advise the President to appoint Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr. Lawrence Wong to succeed him." In a video message released shortly afterwards, Wong said he accepted the position with "humility and a deep sense of duty", Al Jazeera reported, citing the state-owned media strait times. "I pledge to give my all in this undertaking," he said. Since the ruling party selected Wong as head of the "4G," or fourth generation of leaders, in April 2022 politicians from the party hope to take control of the government in the upcoming years--he has been seen as Lee's successor. Wong received praise for his handling of the island's response to the pandemic, reported Al Jazeera. Their first pick, Heng Swee Keat, a former minister of education and head of the central bank, abruptly left in 2021, upending the party's succession plans. Situated between Indonesia and Malaysia, the small island holds significant importance on global terms as a vital ally of both China and the United States. However, it is also dealing with more internal issues, mostly related to immigration and the growing cost of living, and the ruling People's Action Party has also been shaken by an uncommon corruption scandal. With bonuses included, the prime minister of Singapore receives an annual salary of 2.2 million Singapore dollars ($1.6 million), making her the highest-paid government official in the world. (ANI)
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