Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore

Deputy Prime Minister of the
Republic of Singapore
Deputy Prime Minister of the; Republic of Singapore
	Coat of arms of Singapore
	Flag of Singapore
	Incumbent; Gan Kim Yong; since 15 May 2024
Style	Deputy Prime Minister; (informal); The Honourable; (formal); His Excellency; (diplomatic);
Abbreviation	DPM
Appointer	Prime Minister;
Term length	At the President's pleasure;
Inaugural holder	Toh Chin Chye
Formation	3 June 1959; 67 years ago
Salary	S$2,040,000 annually; (including S$259,000 MP salary)
Website	www.pmo.gov.sg

The deputy prime minister of Singapore^[b] 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.

History

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 an 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

People's Action Party (PAP)

No.	Portrait	Name Constituency (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Political party	Prime Minister	Cabinet
No.	Portrait	Name Constituency (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Political party	Prime Minister	Cabinet
1		Toh Chin Chye MP for Rochore (1921–2012)	5 June 1959	18 October 1963	PAP	Lee Kuan Yew	Lee K. I
1		Toh Chin Chye MP for Rochore (1921–2012)	19 October 1963	15 April 1968	PAP		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		Lee K. IV
(2)		Goh Keng Swee MP for Kreta Ayer (1918–2010)	31 December 1976	5 January 1981	PAP		Lee K. V
3		S. Rajaratnam MP for Kampong Glam (1915–2006)	1 June 1980	5 January 1981	PAP		Lee K. V
(2)		Goh Keng Swee MP for Kreta Ayer (1918–2010)	6 January 1981	1 January 1985	PAP		Lee K. VI
(3)		S. Rajaratnam MP for Kampong Glam (1915–2006)	6 January 1981	1 January 1985	PAP		Lee K. VI
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	PAP		Lee K. VII
(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	PAP		Lee K. VIII
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	PAP		Goh I
(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	16 August 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	PAP		Goh III
(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	PAP		Goh IV
(7)		Tony Tan MP for Sembawang GRC (born 1940)	12 August 2004	1 September 2005	PAP	Lee Hsien Loong	Lee H. I
8		S. Jayakumar MP for East Coast GRC (born 1939)	12 August 2004	29 May 2006	PAP		Lee H. I
(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	PAP		Lee H. III
(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		Lawrence Wong MP for Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC (born 1972)	13 June 2022	14 May 2024	PAP		Lee H. V
14		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	PAP		Wong I
(14)		Gan Kim Yong MP for Punggol GRC (born 1959)	23 May 2025	Incumbent	PAP		Wong II

Notes and references

↑ The salary is currently set at $1,870,000. The new salary amount displayed will take effect beginning 15 October 2026.
↑ Malay: Timbalan Perdana Menteri Singapura, Chinese: 新加坡副总理; pinyin: Xīnjiāpō Fù Zǒnglǐ, Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் துணைப் பிரதமர், romanized: Ciṅkappūr Tuṇaip Piratamar

↑ "Toh Chin Chye". roots.gov.sg. National Heritage Board. 30 December 2021. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
↑ "Singaporeans Choose First Elected President". The New York Times. Reuters. 30 August 1993. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
↑ Heijmans, Philip J. (1 September 2023). "Singapore's Former Deputy Premier Tharman Wins Presidency by a Landslide". time.com. Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.

External links

Prime Minister's Office

[1] The salary is currently set at $1,870,000. The new salary amount displayed will take effect beginning 15 October 2026.

[2] Malay: Timbalan Perdana Menteri Singapura, Chinese: 新加坡副总理; pinyin: Xīnjiāpō Fù Zǒnglǐ, Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் துணைப் பிரதமர், romanized: Ciṅkappūr Tuṇaip Piratamar

[3] "Toh Chin Chye". roots.gov.sg. National Heritage Board. 30 December 2021. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2025.

[4] "Singaporeans Choose First Elected President". The New York Times. Reuters. 30 August 1993. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2025.

[5] Heijmans, Philip J. (1 September 2023). "Singapore's Former Deputy Premier Tharman Wins Presidency by a Landslide". time.com. Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.

[a]

[b]

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[2]

[3]

v t e Current members of the Cabinet of Singapore
Prime Minister	Lawrence Wong Finance
Deputy Prime Minister(s)	Gan Kim Yong Trade
Senior Minister(s)	Lee Hsien Loong K. Shanmugam National Security/Home Affairs
Cabinet Minister(s)	Chan Chun Sing Public Services/Defence Ong Ye Kung Social Policies/Health Vivian Balakrishnan Foreign Affairs Grace Fu Sustainability and the Environment/Trade Relations Josephine Teo Digital Development and Information/Smart Nation/Cybersecurity Masagos Zulkifli Social and Family Development Desmond Lee Education/Social Services Integration Indranee Rajah Prime Minister's Office Edwin Tong Law Tan See Leng Energy and Industry Chee Hong Tat National Development Ng Chee Meng Prime Minister's Office David Neo Culture, Community and Youth Jeffrey Siow Transport ~~Faishal Ibrahim~~ Zaqy Mohamad Muslim Affairs (Acting) Jasmin Lau Manpower (Acting)
Effective from 20 July 2026

v t e Constitution of the Republic of Singapore
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Fundamental liberties	Article 9 Article 10 Article 11 Article 12 Article 13 Article 14 Article 15 Article 16 Right to vote
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Special powers against subversion and emergency powers	Internal Security Act
Constitution of the Republic of Singapore Tribunal

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore
Coat of arms of Singapore
Flag of Singapore
Incumbent Gan Kim Yong since 15 May 2024
Style	Deputy Prime Minister (informal) The Honourable (formal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Abbreviation	DPM
Appointer	Prime Minister
Term length	At the President's pleasure
Inaugural holder	Toh Chin Chye
Formation	3 June 1959; 67 years ago (1959-06-03)
Salary	S$2,040,000 annually (including S$259,000 MP salary)^[a]
Website	www.pmo.gov.sg

History

List of deputy prime ministers

See also

Notes and references

External links