Heng Swee Keat says would be 'very happy' to remain finance minister after Cabinet re
SINGAPORE: When asked on Wednesday (Apr 18) whether he would be changing portfolios in the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Heng Swee Keat remained tight-lipped but said he would be “very happy” to continue helming the Finance Ministry.
Speaking to reporters at a media briefing about the progress of Singapore’s economic transformation, the Finance Minister was asked about the odds of a change in his portfolio given that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said earlier this year that a Cabinet reshuffle would be due after Parliament prorogues to give younger ministers more exposure and responsibility.
To that, Mr Heng replied: “I’ll be very happy to continue my job as finance minister. There are many things that we need to do as I announced in the Budget.”
One of which is the “important expenditure needs” that need to be provided for, he said.
Budget 2018 highlighted the country’s spending needs, such as in healthcare and infrastructure, and a planned increase in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) sometime from 2021 to 2025 was announced as a way to finance the growing expenditure.
“We want to be able to make the best use of our resources to achieve our economic and social impact, and at the same time, maintain a high level of security,” Mr Heng said, while adding that the allocation of the Government’s budget across these various areas is a major challenge in the coming years that he "would like to give more thought to".
AdvertisementAdvertisementA core member of the fourth-generation leadership, Mr Heng is seen as one of the three top contenders for the post of the next prime minister. Before being appointed as Finance Minister in October 2015, Mr Heng was the Education Minister from May 2011 to September 2015.
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SINGAPORE: When asked on Wednesday (Apr 18) whether he would be changing portfolios in the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Heng Swee Keat remained tight-lipped but said he would be “very happy” to continue helming the Finance Ministry.
Speaking to reporters at a media briefing about the progress of Singapore’s economic transformation, the Finance Minister was asked about the odds of a change in his portfolio given that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said earlier this year that a Cabinet reshuffle would be due after Parliament prorogues to give younger ministers more exposure and responsibility.
To that, Mr Heng replied: “I’ll be very happy to continue my job as finance minister. There are many things that we need to do as I announced in the Budget.”
One of which is the “important expenditure needs” that need to be provided for, he said.
Budget 2018 highlighted the country’s spending needs, such as in healthcare and infrastructure, and a planned increase in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) sometime from 2021 to 2025 was announced as a way to finance the growing expenditure.
“We want to be able to make the best use of our resources to achieve our economic and social impact, and at the same time, maintain a high level of security,” Mr Heng said, while adding that the allocation of the Government’s budget across these various areas is a major challenge in the coming years that he "would like to give more thought to".
AdvertisementAdvertisementA core member of the fourth-generation leadership, Mr Heng is seen as one of the three top contenders for the post of the next prime minister. Before being appointed as Finance Minister in October 2015, Mr Heng was the Education Minister from May 2011 to September 2015.
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