Government in Singapore

Singapore was an independent state within Malaysia and had its own constitution by 16th September 1963. It however broke away from Malaysia on 9th August 1965. The form of government prevailing in Singapore is a unicameral parliamentary government. According to the constitutional Amendment passed on 22nd December 1965, Singapore would have a President elected every four years by the Parliament, whose role would be ceremonial.

However in 1991, the constitution was again amended to have a popularly elected President who would also enjoy veto powers in certain matters of national importance. Being small in area, the government works at just one level, the national and the local government being the same.

The Cabinet of Singapore headed by the Prime Minister wields the executive powers of the state. The dominant political party in Singapore is the People's Action Party (PAP) since its independence in 1965. The other parties are the Worker's Party of Singapore and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). Currently Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his cabinet head the government. Elections are held every five years and the party, which gains a 50% majority, is elected to form the government. Singapore's government has always been rated as one of the most politically transparent and least corrupt government in the world. Singapore Ministers

President: Tony Tan Keng Yam.

Prime Minister: Lee Hsien Loong

Deputy Prime Minister,Minister of Home Affairs,Minister in charge of Civil Service : Teo Chee Hean

Deputy Prime Minister,Minister of Finance,Minister of Manpower: Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Minister for Trade and Industry: Lim Hng Kiang

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office: Lim Swee Say

Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts,Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs: Yaacob Ibrahim

Minister for National Development:Khaw Boon Wan

Minister for Defence: Ng Eng Hen

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources: Vivian Balakrishnan

Minister for Foreign Affairs,Minister for Law: K. Shanmugam

Minister for Health: Gan Kim Yong

Minister for Transport,Second Minister for Foreign Affairs: Lui Tuck Yew

Minister in Prime Minister's Office,Second Minister for Home Affairs,Second Minister for Trade and Industry: S. Iswaran

Minister for Education: Heng Swee Keat

Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports: Chan Chun Sing

Last Updated On:12/11/2011