Singapore’s fourth prime minister sworn in on Wednesday evening, taking the reins at a time of intensifying great power rivalry abroad and an increased appetite for political opposition at home.

Lee Hsien Loong has led the island nation through major challenges in his two decades behind the wheel and will hand over power on May 15.

Singapore’s incoming prime minister is bracing himself for years of geopolitical unpredictability, as experts warn that heightened US-China tensions don’t leave much room for manoeuvre.

Gan may have been chosen as deputy prime minister due to close working ties with Wong as co-chair in the Covid-19 government task force, analyst says.

Lee Hsien Loong said importing labour has to be done in a manner that does not dilute the country’s ‘social norms and mores and the way Singapore works’.

Lee Hsien Loong says Singapore needs the “right politics” to succeed in his speech ahead of his handover of power to Lawrence Wong on May 15

The annual Leaders’ Retreat ‘formally introduces’ Lawrence Wong and Prabowo Subianto as their respective countries’ new leaders, in addition to deepening bilateral ties.

The city state’s incoming PM inherits a currency that has risen 40 per cent against its major trading partners over the past two decades, while the economy has doubled in size and total assets under management have climbed more than eight-fold.

If Lawrence Wong hopes to win over the Gen Z segment in the next general election, he needs to rule on social media, according to analysts.

Those who know Wong say he is a ‘highly relatable political leader’, and laud him for being a team player, a quiet go-getter and a persistent doer.

Shanmugam said The Economist could not resist “sneering” at Singapore and the British commentariat class cannot stand seeing the island nation “doing better”

The plans come as Apple CEO Tim Cook meets with Singapore’s prime minister-designate Lawrence Wong as well as the city state’s incumbent leader Lee Hsien Loong this week as part of his Southeast Asia tour.

In the last few months, political observers have noted Singapore’s political elite expressing greater empathy for the plight of Palestinians.

Lawrence Wong, who will assume power on May 15, said Singapore’s incumbent leader Lee Hsien Loong would serve as a senior minister in his cabinet.

Wong, 51, is the youngest among three front runners in the city state’s fourth-generation leaders initially tipped for the top post.

Kong Chee Kian said someone should assassinate Lee following the shooting of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday defended Singapore paying the US pop star to make his country the sole Southeast Asian stop on her world tour, following complaints from neighbouring nations about the deal.

The police say they are aware of a planned march to “demonstrate views” on the Israel-Gaza war and investigating two other events for possible offences.

Singapore will give handouts of US$445 to each household and offer rebates to businesses amid inflation and higher operating costs.

The Ministry of Finance said that the errors were discovered in November when it found inconsistencies in the application of GST on certain government fees.

Iswaran resigned last month after being charged with corruption, including allegedly obtaining tickets to musicals and soccer matches in the UK. He denies the charges.

Iswaran, widely credited for bringing Formula One racing to the city state, faces a possible jail term of up to seven years if convicted.

The nations cemented plans for the zone as they seek to revive interest in Chinese developer Country Garden’s mega-project – and hailed progress on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System.

In July 2023, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau revealed S. Iswaran was assisting with an investigation into a case uncovered by the anti-graft agency.

For next year, growth is projected at 1-3 per cent but ‘much will depend on the external environment’ such as the Ukraine war and Israel-Gaza war.

Businesses in Singapore have unveiled promotions to lure shoppers ahead of the rise in GST from 8 per cent to 9 per cent on January 1.

Referring to a fake video of him endorsing cryptocurrency trading, Lee warns the “use of deepfake technology to spread disinformation will continue to grow”.

The two officials discussed potential areas of cooperation within the digital economy, renewable and clean energy sector, on the second day of Lawrence Wong’s four-day visit to China.