Wong was also co-chair of a multi-ministerial committee set up by the government in January 2020 to manage the
COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore.[3] As Minister for Finance, he has overseen the gradual increase in
Goods and Services Tax (GST) which
Lee's government has advocated for – 8% in 2023 and 9% in 2024, up from 7% which had been set since 2007. In April 2022, he was chosen as the leader of the PAP's fourth generation team, placing him in line as Lee's apparent successor.[4] Wong assumed the office of
Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore on 13 June 2022, serving alongside
Heng Swee Keat.[5] On 26 November 2022, Wong was appointed to the newly created position of Deputy Secretary-General of the PAP.[6]
On 3 July 2023, it was announced that Wong will be appointed Chairman of the
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on 8 July 2023. Wong had served as Deputy Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore between 2021 and 2023. He was also appointed Chairman of the Investment Strategies Committee of
GIC, and Chairman of the International Advisory Council (IAC) of the
Economic Development Board (EDB) on 7 July 2023 and 8 July 2023 respectively. Wong was subsequently appointed Deputy Chairman of GIC's Board of Directors on 1 October 2023.
Wong began his career as an economist working in the
Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in August 1997.[15] It was the beginning of the
1997 Asian financial crisis and his first assignment involved preparing a report on regional economies and their effects on Singapore; he described the experience as "nothing that I learned in school prepared me for such an assignment" and recounted having to learn on the job.[16]
In September 2008, Wong became deputy chief executive officer of the
Energy Market Authority, rising to chief executive officer on 1 January 2009. He relinquished the role on 1 April 2011.[15]
Political career
Wong entered politics at the
2011 general election when he contested as part of a five-member
People's Action Party (PAP) team in
West Coast GRC. The PAP team won with 66.66% of the vote against the
Reform Party and Wong was elected as the Member of Parliament representing the
Boon Lay ward of West Coast GRC.
Wong led a team to bid for the
Singapore Botanic Gardens to be recognised as Singapore's first
UNESCOWorld Heritage Site.[19][20][21] Wong also spearheaded the free museum entry policy for all Singaporeans and permanent residents, to all national museums and heritage institutions from 18 May 2013.[22] In 2013, Wong also announced the setting up of a new S$100 million National Youth Fund for youth to champion community and social causes.[23]
As Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Wong was involved in the transformation of the
Civic District[28][29]—the birthplace of modern Singapore which contained many institutions that have witnessed important turning points in Singapore's history. In January 2016, he assumed office as Chairman of the
PAP Community Foundation from 2016 until June 2022 where it was handed over to Minister
Josephine Teo[30] In August 2016, the
National Arts Council attracted criticisms over the high consultation fees paid for a bin centre, as flagged by the Auditor-General's Office. Wong addressed the issue in Parliament, saying that the project was at acceptable cost due to the need for extensive study of the location and technicality involved with the building of the refuse centre in the Civic District.[31]
Under his charge, Wong also introduced the S$200 million Cultural Matching Fund, a dollar-for-dollar matching grant for cash donations to arts and heritage charities and Institutions of Public Character in Singapore.[32][33][34]
Wong was also the Chairman of the Steering Committee for the
2015 Southeast Asian Games.[37] Wong had also announced several key initiatives to get more Singaporeans involved in sports.[38] This includes a national movement called ActiveSG, which gives all Singaporeans and permanent residents ActiveSG$100 to sign up for sports programmes, and enter into swimming pools and gyms at the various sports centres islandwide.[39]
Wong also chaired the Singapore High Performance Sports Steering Committee, which provides strategic guidance on identifying and nurturing high performing sporting talents.[40] Wong said that the accomplishments of Singapore athletes at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games indicate that Singapore's investment in sports is paying off.[41]
During the
COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, Wong and
Gan Kim Yong were appointed co-chairs of a multi-ministerial committee formed by the government in January 2020 to manage the situation. On 26 March 2020, while paying tribute to frontline workers helping in Singapore's fight against COVID-19, Wong turned emotional and teary-eyed while delivering his address in Parliament. He thanked healthcare workers, as well as those working in cleaning, transport and security sectors for providing much-needed services to keep Singapore going during this difficult time.[46]
On 27 July 2020, following a Cabinet reshuffle, Wong succeeded
Ong Ye Kung as
Minister for Education.[48] On 8 November that year, Wong was elected into the PAP's Central Executive Committee for the first time after rising to prominence for leading the Government's fight against COVID-19.[49]
In February 2022, Wong announced a S$500 million stimulus package due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. Wong also said the government would set aside an additional S$560 million to "help Singaporean citizens deal with the rising cost of living".[53] Later in June 2022, Wong announced another $1.5 billion support package to provide targeted relief for lower-income and vulnerable groups.[54]
At Budget 2023, Wong announced that the Assurance Package was enhanced from $6.6 billion, announced in 2022, to $9.6 billion. This was to offset additional GST expenses for the majority of Singaporean households for at least five years.[55] In September 2023, Wong announced an additional $1.1 billion Cost-of-Living (COL) Support Package to provide more relief for Singaporean households, especial lower- to middle-income families.[56]
Deputy Prime Minister
On 14 April 2022, Wong was selected as the leader of the PAP's fourth-generation (4G) team, succeeding
Deputy Prime MinisterHeng Swee Keat, who had stepped down as 4G leader on 8 April 2021.[57] Prior to his appointment, Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong delegated former PAP chairman
Khaw Boon Wan to initiate a consultation process among the fourth-generation ministers of the
Cabinet, aimed at garnering their individual views regarding the selection of a new 4G leader.[58] However, both Prime Minister Lee and
Senior MinistersTharman Shanmugaratnam and
Teo Chee Hean, abstained from participating in the process.[59]
Wong received an "overwhelming majority" of support in the consultation process, surpassing that of
Ong Ye Kung and
Chan Chun Sing, his cabinet colleagues and co-contestants in the 4G leadership race.[60] He received 15 out of the 19 votes from the stakeholders polled, and as no candidate is allowed to vote for himself, this meant that only three other individuals did not vote for him as their first choice.[61] His candidature was unanimously endorsed by the Cabinet and subsequently, by the PAP
MPs at a party caucus on 14 April.[62] His appointment was announced by Prime Minister Lee in a
Facebook post the same day.[62]
On 6 June 2022, a Cabinet reshuffle was announced where Wong was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister, which further cemented his position as PM
Lee Hsien Loong's successor. In addition to becoming Deputy Prime Minister, he was also named "Acting Prime Minister" in the PM's absence, he had also taken over responsibility of the Strategy Group in the
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from
Heng Swee Keat.[63][64] On 28 June 2022, Wong launched the "Forward Singapore" movement[65] as part of his vision for a society that "benefits many, not a few".[66] The Forward Singapore report was released on 27 October 2023.[67] On 5 November 2023, incumbent Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong announced that he would be passing his ministerial role to Wong in November 2024, before the
next General Election, "if all goes well".[68]
Premiership
As the 4G leader, Wong subsequently emerged as Lee's apparent successor to the position of prime minister; the latter's initial plans to step down at the age of 70 had been thwarted by Heng's withdrawal.[69] On 15 April 2024, the
Prime Minister's Office issued a press statement announcing that Lawrence Wong will officially take over as the
Prime Minister of Singapore from
Lee Hsien Loong on 15 May.[70] With this leadership handover, Lawrence Wong will be Singapore's fourth Prime Minister, as well as the first to be born after the country's independence in 1965.[71][72]
Personal life
Wong married at the age of 28 but divorced his first wife after three years due to "incompatibility".[73][74] He has since married Loo Tze Lui, a former banker currently working in
wealth management, and who was on the YMCA Singapore board of directors until 2023.[75][76][77] His elder brother is an aerospace engineer at
DSO National Laboratories.[78] His hobbies include playing the
guitar and riding
motorcycles.[79][80]
The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency/seat he or she represents. PAP:
People's Action Party; WP:
The Workers' Party; PSP:
Progress Singapore Party All of the leaders of the respective GRCs are in underline. MP(s) who is go on a leave of absence is in italic.
NMPs do not belong to any party.
The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency he or she represents. PAP:
People's Action Party; WP:
The Workers' Party NMPs do not belong to any party. There were two terms of NMPs in this parliament, with nine NMPs in each term.
The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency he or she represents. PAP:
People's Action Party; SPP:
Singapore People's Party; WP:
The Workers' Party For NCMPs, Gerald Giam and Yee Jenn Jong are from the WP, while Lina Loh is from the SPP. NMPs do not belong to any party. There were two terms of NMPs in this parliament, with nine NMPs in each term.