The Third Cabinet of Lee Hsien Loong of the Government of Singapore came into existence on 21 May 2011 following the 2011 general election. While many of its members were retained from the previous government, Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing, who had both just been elected, were given ministerial appointments.
With effect from 1 August 2012, Grace Fu became only the second woman in Singapore's history to be made a full minister by being appointed a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. (The first was Lim Hwee Hua.) From 1 November, Chan Chun Sing assumed the designation of Acting Minister for Social and Family Development, while Lawrence Wong was brought into the Cabinet for the first time as Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.
Cabinet
May 2011 – July 2012 At the 2011 general election, Senior Minister Shunmugam Jayakumar did not contest his seat as part of the East Coast Group Representation Constituency and thus retired from the Cabinet.; . Foreign Minister George Yeo and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua contested Aljunied GRC unsuccessfully, and were defeated by a team from the Workers' Party of Singapore.; .
Following the election, on 14 May 2011, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong tendered their resignations from the Cabinet, stating that they wished to give the Prime Minister a "fresh clean slate" in forming the Government and enable him to "have a completely younger team of ministers to connect to and engage with this young generation".; ; . Goh was given the honorary title of Emeritus Senior Minister; the same title was offered to Lee but he declined. Lee and Goh were appointed as senior advisers to the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) respectively.; .
Four days later, on 18 May, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced a new Cabinet line-up. In addition to Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua, four other ministers retired: Wong Kan Seng, Mah Bow Tan, Lim Boon Heng and Raymond Lim.. Two ministers, Lim Hng Kiang and Lim Swee Say, retained their respective Trade and Industry and Prime Minister's Office portfolios, while existing ministers were appointed to new positions in the remaining 11 ministries. Tharman Shanmugaratnam was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister and appointed Minister for Manpower in addition to his portfolio of Minister for Finance, replacing Wong Kan Seng. S. Iswaran, formerly Senior Minister of State for Education and for Trade and Industry, was elevated to the Cabinet as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, and Second Minister for Home Affairs and for Trade and Industry. Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing, both elected to Parliament for the first time, were respectively assigned the posts of Minister for Education, and Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Minister of State for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.; . Heng was the first new MP directly appointed a full minister since 1984.; .
With effect from 2011 general election: MinisterPrior to 2011AppointmentLee Kuan YewMinister MentorPost removed, retaining as "Lee Kuan Yew" title until the death in 2015.Goh Chok TongSenior MinisterRenamed the remaining post to 'Emeritus Senior Minister'.Shunmugam JayakumarSenior MinisterRetired.George YeoMinister for Foreign AffairsLost parliamentary seat and retired.K ShanmugamMinister for Home Affairs and Minister for LawRelinquished Minister for Home Affairs, replaced by Minister for Foreign Affairs.Teo Chee HeanDeputy Prime Minister and Minister for DefenceRelinquished Minister for Defence, replaced by Minister for Home Affairs, and Coordinating Minister for National Security.Ng Eng HenMinister for EducationRelinquished Minister for Education, replaced by Minister for Defence.Heng Swee KeatNew position for Minister for Education.Tharman ShanmugaratnamMinister for FinanceAssumed two new positions for Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Manpower respectively.Lim Hwee HuaMinister in the Prime Minister's OfficeSecond Minister for Finance and Second Minister for TransportLost parliamentary seat and retired.Josephine TeoSenior Minister of State for Finance and TransportAssumed new position as Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport respectively, and as a new minister.Lim Boon HengMinister in the Prime Minister's OfficeRetired.Wong Kan SengDeputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National SecurityInitially planned to retire, but returned to backbenches instead, only after the death of Lee Kuan Yew in 2015, he is allowed to retire.Mah Bow TanMinister for National Development Initially planned to retire, but returned to backbenches instead, only after the death of Lee Kuan Yew in 2015, he is allowed to retire.Khaw Boon WanMinister for HealthRelinquished Minister for Health, replaced by Minister for National Development.Gan Kim YongMinister for ManpowerRelinquished Minister for Manpower, replaced by Minister for Health.Raymond LimMinister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign AffairsReturned to backbenches instead.Lui Tuck YewMinister for Information, Communications and the ArtsRelinquished Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, replaced by Minister for Transport.Yaacob IbrahimMinister for the Environment and Water ResourcesRelinquished Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, replaced by Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts.Vivian BalakrishnanMinister for Community Development, Youth and SportsRelinquished Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, replaced by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.Chan Chun SingNew position for Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports. With effect from 21 May 2011, the Cabinet of Singapore consisted of the following persons:.
PortfolioPortraitName TermPrime MinisterLee Hsien Loong12 August 2004 – 15 May 2024Deputy Prime MinisterTeo Chee Hean1 April 2009 – 30 April 2019Coordinating Minister for National Security21 May 2011 – 22 May 2025Minister for Home Affairs21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Deputy Prime MinisterTharman Shanmugaratnam21 May 2011 – 30 April 2019Minister for Finance1 December 2007 – 30 September 2015Minister for Manpower21 May 2011 – 31 July 2012Minister for Trade and IndustryLim Hng Kiang12 August 2004 – 30 September 2015Minister in the Prime Minister's OfficeLim Swee Say12 August 2004 – 3 May 2015Minister for Information, Communications and the ArtsYaacob Ibrahim21 May 2011 – 31 October 2012Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs25 March 2002 – 30 April 2018Minister for National DevelopmentKhaw Boon Wan21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister for DefenceNg Eng Hen21 May 2011 – 22 May 2025Minister for the Environment and Water ResourcesVivian Balakrishnan21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister for Foreign AffairsK. Shanmugam21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister for Law1 May 2008 – 22 May 2025Minister for HealthGan Kim Yong21 May 2011 – 14 May 2021Minister for TransportLui Tuck Yew21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Second Minister for Foreign Affairs21 May 2011 – 31 July 2012Minister in the Prime Minister's OfficeS. Iswaran21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Second Minister for Home Affairs21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Second Minister for Trade and Industry21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister for EducationHeng Swee Keat21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and SportsChan Chun Sing21 May 2011 – 31 October 2012
August 2012 – August 2013 On 31 July 2012, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced several changes to his Cabinet and other appointments. With effect from 1 August, Grace Fu was promoted to Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, the second woman to be appointed a full minister in Singapore.; . Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Lui Tuck Yew relinquished their respective appointments as Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs to Tan Chuan-Jin and Grace Fu, while Yaacob Ibrahim became Minister for Communications and Information. With effect from 1 November, Chan Chun Sing was redesignated Acting Minister for Social and Family Development, while Lawrence Wong was brought into the Cabinet for the first time as Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.; ; ; .
The changes to the cabinet do involves: MinisterPrior to 2012AppointmentLawrence Wong -Appointed as Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Thus, as of 1 November 2012, the composition of the Cabinet was as follows:; .
PortfolioPortraitName TermPrime MinisterLee Hsien Loong12 August 2004 – 15 May 2024Deputy Prime MinisterTeo Chee Hean1 April 2009 – 30 April 2019Coordinating Minister for National Security21 May 2011 – 22 May 2025Minister for Home Affairs21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Deputy Prime MinisterTharman Shanmugaratnam21 May 2011 – 30 April 2019Minister for Finance1 December 2007 – 30 September 2015Minister for Trade and IndustryLim Hng Kiang12 August 2004 – 30 September 2015Minister in the Prime Minister's OfficeLim Swee Say12 August 2004 – 3 May 2015Minister for Information, Communications and the ArtsYaacob Ibrahim21 May 2011 – 31 October 2012Minister for Communications and Information1 November 2012 – 30 April 2018Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs25 March 2002 – 30 April 2018Minister for National DevelopmentKhaw Boon Wan21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister for DefenceNg Eng Hen21 May 2011 – 22 May 2025Minister for the Environment and Water ResourcesVivian Balakrishnan21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister for Foreign AffairsK. Shanmugam21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister for Law1 May 2008 – 22 May 2025Minister for HealthGan Kim Yong21 May 2011 – 14 May 2021Minister for TransportLui Tuck Yew21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister in the Prime Minister's OfficeS. Iswaran21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Second Minister for Home Affairs21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Second Minister for Trade and Industry21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister for EducationHeng Swee Keat21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015Minister in the Prime Minister's OfficeGrace Fu1 August 2012 – 30 September 2015Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources1 August 2012 – 30 September 2015Second Minister for Foreign Affairs1 August 2012 – 30 September 2015Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and SportsChan Chun Sing21 May 2011 – 31 October 2012Acting Minister for Social and Family Development1 November 2012 – 31 August 2013Acting Minister for ManpowerTan Chuan-Jin1 August 2012 – 30 April 2014Acting Minister for Culture, Community and YouthLawrence Wong1 November 2012 – 30 April 2014
September 2013 – April 2014 On 28 August 2013, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced several changes to his Cabinet and other appointments. With effect from 1 September, Chan Chun Sing was promoted to the full Minister and will continue to helm the Ministry of Social and Family Development.. Mr. Chan was also appointed the second minister for the Ministry of Defence.. Alt URL.
Thus, as of 1 September 2013, the composition of the Cabinet was as follows: