Ministry of Trade and Industry among portfolios to see largest shake-up

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) will see a significant number of leadership changes in the latest Cabinet reshuffle.

From May, labour chief Chan Chun Sing will take over the reins, with Mr Lim Hng Kiang and Mr S Iswaran stepping down from their ministerial roles while still being involved with the ministry.

Mr Lim is stepping down from the Cabinet but will be appointed Special Advisor to the ministry, where he has served as minister since 2004.

As Special Advisor, the 64-year-old will advise the ministry on strategies to grow Singapore's capabilities and international economic space.

He will also advise on the country's engagements with multilateral trade platforms, such as the World Trade Organisation, the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community Council, as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which is a trading pact among 16 Asia-Pacific countries that the Government has been pushing to wrap up by the end of the year.

Mr Iswaran, on the other hand, will take on the newly created role of Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations in the MTI.

He will concurrently helm the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), a role he is taking over from Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, who is also retiring.

Mr Iswaran, 55, has been in the MTI since 2006 — serving as Minister of State and Second Minister before being promoted to co-lead the ministry with Mr Lim in 2015.

Having entered politics since 1997, he is among one of Singapore's fourth-generation leaders who has had the longest runways in politics.

The MTI's Senior Minister of State, Ms Sim Ann, will move to MCI. Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will move in the opposite direction. Mr Chee will serve concurrently as Senior Minister of State for Education.

MISSIONS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED

Commenting on his re-designation in the MTI to focus on trade relations, Mr Iswaran — who previously took care of industry matters in the ministry — said that there is a "sizeable set of missions" to be accomplished under this new role.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Hannover Messe, a trade fair for industrial technology in Germany, he said: "MTI does a whole gamut of external trade relations and economic relations management. They are bilateral in nature, in terms of the countries we work with; they are also regional in nature... And of course, we are chairing ASEAN this year. That has its own set of dynamics (and priorities).

"Given this broad spectrum, and when you combine that with the domestic agenda as well, it is a very sizeable set of missions that we need to accomplish… The question is how then we can work it out so that we are each able to contribute in a way that can support the (ministry's) overall mission."

Mr Iswaran was leading a delegation of more than 20 Singapore enterprises to tour the fair when the Cabinet changes were announced on Tuesday (April 24).

Lawyer and former Member of Parliament (MP) Sin Boon Ann said that Mr Iswaran's new role underscores the Government's commitment to pay special attention to trade at a time when globalisation has cut the world's economic powers both ways.

Mr Sin, who was an MP for Tampines GRC from 1996 to 2011, said: "Looking at what is happening in the US and China, we must not be caught up in any fight between the two major powers, or any power. Given that Singapore is an open economy and highly dependent on trade, the Government wants to dedicate someone to eyeball this aspect."

In a statement on Tuesday, the Singapore Business Federation said that Mr Iswaran's new role will "provide continuity to strengthen our trade relationship with our major trading partners especially in these times when trade is being held hostage to protectionist policies".

'TOUR OF DUTY'

Posting on Facebook after the announcements, Mr Chan Chun Sing, who will be stepping down as labour chief, said that he sees his new appointment as an extension of the work in the labour movement.

The 48-year-old added that he will "benefit greatly" from Mr Lim Hng Kiang's counsel as Special Advisor, given the latter's experience in trade negotiations and industrial development.

"At the same time, I am grateful that Minister S Iswaran has kindly agreed to take on various trade negotiation roles despite his new responsibilities in MCI," Mr Chan added.

Political observers said that Mr Chan's appointment to helm the MTI was no surprise, and that it is part of this "tour of duty".

Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser, a sociologist at the National University of Singapore, said that as one of the frontrunners to succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Mr Chan is now being dealt a portfolio that is "critical for our current and future economy".

"Trade and industry are about job creation, business opportunities, and a key piece in our economic transformation… I see him as getting additional exposure on the world stage," Assoc Prof Tan said.

Singapore Management University law lecturer Eugene Tan agreed that the MTI portfolio is a centrepiece for an economy highly dependent on trade.

"Any minister there would have to make a success of it. Both PM Lee and PM Goh Chok Tong had served sufficiently long stints as MTI minister… MTI was one where both had served as Ministers for Trade and Industry," he said.

The Singapore Business Federation said that Mr Chan had played an active role so far in business missions to China and the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, the latest government-level collaboration between Singapore and China.

Noting Mr Chan's contributions in engaging the business community here, the federation said: "We are certain that this relationship will strengthen in the future," it said. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SIAU MING EN

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated that Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will move from MTI to MCI. This is incorrect. He is moving from MCI to MTI. We apologise for the error.