Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Deputy Prime Minister
(informal) - The Honourable
(formal) - His Excellency
(diplomatic)
| Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Style |
|
| Abbreviation | DPM |
| Appointer | Prime Minister |
| Term length | At the President's pleasure |
| Inaugural holder | Toh Chin Chye |
| Formation | 3 June 1959 |
| Salary | S$1,870,000 annually (including S$192,500 MP salary) |
| Website | www |
The deputy prime minister of Singapore[a] is the deputy head of government of the Republic of Singapore, and a key political ally of the prime minister. The incumbent deputy prime minister is Gan Kim Yong, an MP for Punggol Group Representation Constituency from the governing People's Action Party, who took office on 15 May 2024.
The office of deputy prime minister is the second highest position in the Cabinet of Singapore, typically held by senior ministers. At times, two individuals could serve simultaneously as deputy prime ministers. The officeholder is generally assigned specific duties by the prime minister, including deputising in the Parliament of Singapore. Additionally, the deputy prime minister often acts as prime minister during periods when the latter is abroad, on leave or incapacitated.
Established in 1959 with Singapore's attainment of self-governance from the British Empire, the first deputy prime minister was appointed by Yang di-Pertuan Negara William Goode. The position retained its title following Singapore's merger with the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and North Borneo to form Malaysia, during which Singapore functioned as a autonomous federated state between 1963 and 1965. Toh Chin Chye was the inaugural officeholder, serving from 1959 to 1968.[1] It was vacant from 1968 to 1973, when prime minister Lee Kuan Yew did not pick a deputy for his Third Cabinet after winning the 1968 Singaporean general election.
Two former deputy prime ministers of Singapore have subsequently been elected as President of Singapore. These include Ong Teng Cheong and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, both of whom transitioned from their deputy roles to the nation's head of state.[2][3] Lawrence Wong assumed the office of deputy prime minister on 13 June 2022 but left the position on 15 May 2024 to become prime minister, making his tenure the shortest in the history of the office. His successor, Gan Kim Yong, took office on 15 May 2024 and continues to serve concurrently as Minister for Trade and Industry.
List of deputy prime ministers
Since its formation, all individuals who have held the position of Deputy Prime Minister have been members of the People's Action Party (PAP).
- Political parties
| No. | Portrait | Name Constituency (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Political party | Prime Minister | Cabinet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | ||||||
| 1 |  |
Toh Chin Chye MP for Rochore (1921–2012) |
5 June 1959 |
18 October 1963 |
PAP | Lee Kuan Yew | Lee K. I |
| 19 October 1963 |
15 April 1968 |
Lee K. II | |||||
| Vacant (16 April 1968 – 15 September 1972) |
Lee K. III | ||||||
| Vacant (16 September 1972 – 28 February 1973) |
Lee K. IV | ||||||
| 2 |  |
Goh Keng Swee MP for Kreta Ayer (1918–2010) |
1 March 1973 |
30 December 1976 |
PAP | ||
| (2) | |
Goh Keng Swee MP for Kreta Ayer (1918–2010) |
31 December 1976 |
5 January 1981 |
PAP | Lee K. V | |
| 3 | .jpg) |
S. Rajaratnam MP for Kampong Glam (1915–2006) |
1 June 1980 |
5 January 1981 | |||
| (2) | |
Goh Keng Swee MP for Kreta Ayer (1918–2010) |
6 January 1981 |
1 January 1986 |
PAP | Lee K. VI | |
| (3) | |
S. Rajaratnam MP for Kampong Glam (1915–2006) |
6 January 1981 |
1 January 1985 | |||
| 4 |  |
Goh Chok Tong MP for Marine Parade SMC (born 1941) |
2 January 1985 |
12 September 1988 |
PAP | Lee K. VII | |
| 5 |  |
Ong Teng Cheong MP for Kim Keat SMC (1936–2002) |
2 January 1985 |
12 September 1988 | |||
| (4) | |
Goh Chok Tong MP for Marine Parade GRC (born 1941) |
13 September 1988 |
27 November 1990 |
PAP | Lee K. VIII | |
| (5) | |
Ong Teng Cheong MP for Kim Keat SMC (1936–2002) |
13 September 1988 |
27 November 1990 | |||
| 6 |  |
Lee Hsien Loong MP for Teck Ghee SMC (born 1952) |
28 November 1990 |
6 September 1991 |
PAP | Goh Chok Tong | Goh I |
| (5) | |
Ong Teng Cheong MP for Kim Keat SMC (1936–2002) |
28 November 1990 |
6 September 1991 | |||
| (6) | |
Lee Hsien Loong MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC (born 1952) |
7 September 1991 |
24 January 1997 |
PAP | Goh II | |
| (5) | |
Ong Teng Cheong MP for Toa Payoh GRC (1936–2002) |
7 September 1991 |
1 September 1993 | |||
| 7 |  |
Tony Tan MP for Sembawang GRC (born 1940) |
1 August 1995 |
24 January 1997 | |||
| (6) | |
Lee Hsien Loong MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC (born 1952) |
25 January 1997 |
22 November 2001 |
PAP | Goh III | |
| (7) | |
Tony Tan MP for Sembawang GRC (born 1940) |
25 January 1997 |
22 November 2001 | |||
| (6) | |
Lee Hsien Loong MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC (born 1952) |
23 November 2001 |
11 August 2004 |
PAP | Goh IV | |
| (7) | |
Tony Tan MP for Sembawang GRC (born 1940) |
23 November 2001 |
11 August 2004 | |||
| (7) | |
Tony Tan MP for Sembawang GRC (born 1940) |
12 August 2004 |
29 May 2006 |
PAP | Lee Hsien Loong | Lee H. I |
| 8 | .jpg) |
S. Jayakumar MP for East Coast GRC (born 1939) |
12 August 2004 |
29 May 2006 | |||
| (8) | |
S. Jayakumar MP for East Coast GRC (born 1939) |
30 May 2006 |
1 April 2009 |
PAP | Lee H. II | |
| 9 |  |
Wong Kan Seng MP for Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC (born 1946) |
30 May 2006 |
20 May 2011 | |||
| 10 |  |
Teo Chee Hean MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (born 1954) |
1 April 2009 |
20 May 2011 | |||
| (10) | |
Teo Chee Hean MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (born 1954) |
21 May 2011 |
30 September 2015 |
PAP | Lee H. III | |
| 11 |  |
Tharman Shanmugaratnam MP for Jurong GRC (born 1957) |
21 May 2011 |
30 September 2015 | |||
| (10) | |
Teo Chee Hean MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (born 1954) |
1 October 2015 |
30 April 2019 |
PAP | Lee H. IV | |
| 11 | |
Tharman Shanmugaratnam MP for Jurong GRC (born 1957) |
1 October 2015 |
30 April 2019 | |||
| 12 |  |
Heng Swee Keat MP for Tampines GRC (born 1961) |
1 May 2019 |
26 July 2020 | |||
| (12) | |
Heng Swee Keat MP for East Coast GRC (born 1961) |
27 July 2020 |
14 May 2024 |
PAP | Lee H. V | |
| 13 | .jpg) |
Lawrence Wong MP for Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC (born 1972) |
13 June 2022 |
14 May 2024 | |||
| 14 | .jpg) |
Gan Kim Yong MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC (born 1959) |
15 May 2024 |
22 May 2024 |
PAP | Lawrence Wong | Wong I |
| (12) | |
Heng Swee Keat MP for East Coast GRC (born 1961) |
15 May 2024 |
22 May 2025 | |||
| (14) | |
Gan Kim Yong MP for Punggol GRC (born 1959) |
23 May 2025 |
Incumbent | PAP | Wong II | |
