19-12-2023 (SINGAPORE) Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore will be taking a well-deserved break, going on leave from 19th to 31st December, following his visit to Tokyo for the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. The announcement was made by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday, 18th December.
Throughout the year, Prime Minister Lee has been occupied with various responsibilities, including managing the affairs of his Members of Parliament, overseeing the Presidential Election, and commemorating his father’s 100th birthday. Now, he will temporarily pass on his duties to Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
During Prime Minister Lee’s leave, Mr. Teo, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security, will be the Acting Prime Minister from 19th to 26th December. Subsequently, Mr. Wong, who serves as the Minister for Finance and was named the leader of the 4G team last year, will take over as Acting Prime Minister from 27th to 31st December.
Prime Minister Lee had previously stated in November that he would hand over the leadership of the People’s Action Party (PAP) to Deputy Prime Minister Wong before the next General Election, positioning him as Singapore’s future Prime Minister.
The timing of Prime Minister Lee’s leave coincides with the conclusion of his working trip to Tokyo, where he engaged in meetings with Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako of Japan, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Following the conclusion of the summit on 18th December, Prime Minister Lee will commence his leave.
During his time off, it is expected that Prime Minister Lee may take the opportunity to relax and explore, possibly capturing memorable moments for his photo album.
