MP Jeffrey Siow being considered for new Cabinet line-up
SINGAPORE - Newly minted Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Jeffrey Siow is among various potential office holders whom Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is considering for the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle following Singapore's recently concluded general election.
Speaking to the media on May 17, Mr Siow said: 'PM is readying his Cabinet, he is building his team. I understand he has been speaking to various people in his team who would be taking up positions in the Cabinet. I am one of the people he has spoken to.'
The MP for the GRC's Brickland ward did not reveal which political office he is being considered for, saying these matters have yet to be finalised.
'We have to give it a bit of time. It is an important decision for (the) PM to form his team. But in the discussions I have had, I am very happy he knows the experiences and the skills that I have.
'He knows what I can contribute to his team,' Mr Siow said at the sidelines of a sustainability themed event outside Keat Hong Shopping Centre.
'Whatever role that he thinks that I can play in his team, I will be very happy to contribute... I will give it my best,' he added.
The PAP fielded 32 new candidates for the 2025 General Election on May 3, the largest batch of fresh faces in decades. PM Wong is expected to announce changes to his Cabinet soon.
A veteran civil servant, Mr Siow retired as second permanent secretary for trade and industry and manpower before entering politics.
He was also principal private secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong between 2017 and 2021. After 2021, he became the first managing director of Enterprise Singapore.
He has also held key government roles in the Transport and Education ministries.
With 24 years in the public service, Mr Siow is the most senior civil servant to run in the election in 2025.
During the 2025 General Election, PM Wong had highlighted how some of the PAP newcomers could grow into larger leadership roles, and name-dropped Mr Siow alongside other first-time MPs such as Mr David Neo from Tampines GRC and Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash from East Coast GRC.
At the 2025 Brickland Green Festival on May 17, Mr Siow was accompanied by other MPs in the group representation constituency, including Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Keat Hong) and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng (Chua Chu Kang).
Chua Chu Kang GRC, which has more than 93,000 voters, saw some significant boundary changes in GE2025.
The new Tengah estates have been folded into the constituency, and Bukit Gombak, overseen by Ms Low Yen Ling, was carved out as a single-member constituency. Ms Low was the previous chairman for Chua Chu Kang Town Council.
The new leadership and chairman of the town council are yet to be revealed, and Mr Siow said this is being sorted out.
Mr Siow added that with Tengah's growing population, Chua Chu Kang would have about 150,000 voters in the next four to five years.
'There is a lot of work to be done in terms of preparing how we will cover the residents... and provide the same level of service as we are now doing. We are looking at the (GRC) boundaries and what the future make-up of the GRC is going to be like.'
At the 2025 Brickland Green Festival on May 17, a new Brickland Green Village initiative was launched to redistribute bruised fruits and vegetables that are commonly ignored by shoppers.
The initiative will also run upcycling workshops as well as a repair corner where residents can learn to fix faulty household items.
At the event, UOB and the SG Eco Fund also launched a two-year partnership to drive greater environmental awareness in the community, including painting environment-themed murals islandwide. SG Eco Fund is a $50 million push under the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment that supports green initiatives in the community.
Mr Siow is known among the green groups for being consultative. When he was at the Ministry of Transport over a decade ago, he was the point man for engagements with nature groups after a proposal for the Cross Island MRT line to cut through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve sparked outrage.
Since then, such engagements between the nature community and government agencies have become more frequent.
'Being involved in the Cross Island Line discussions with the nature groups really taught me a lot about the importance of the environment,' he said.
When he was principal private secretary to then PM Lee, Mr Siow was involved in planning the former PM's 2019 National Day Rally speech.
It was the year that then PM Lee announced that Singapore would spend $100 billion over the next 100 years to protect itself against rising sea levels.
'We debated whether we should talk about climate change,' said Mr Siow, noting that it was the topic's debut in a rally speech.
But the then PM Lee held the view that tackling climate change needs to be a national agenda.
For the sake of his two children, Mr Siow is supportive.
'Ensuring that we are able to manage changes in the environment and do them well is very important on my personal agenda.'
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
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