SINGAPORE – After 20 years of weekly Cabinet meetings that soldiered on even during the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has led his last meeting.

Commemorating the moment in a Facebook post on May 9, PM Lee thanked his colleagues for their steadfast support during the meetings, which had continued through the pandemic via teleconferencing.

PM Lee said: “It has been my privilege to lead my Cabinet team for the past 20 years.

“In Cabinet, the prime minister is primus inter pares – not the boss with his subordinates, but the first among equals, all deliberating together to find the best solutions for Singapore.”

In April, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will take over the mantle from PM Lee as Singapore’s prime minister on May 15.

PM Lee said: “From next week, PM Lawrence Wong will take charge in Cabinet meetings, but I will continue to contribute as senior minister.

“Singapore will be in good hands under the 4G team, and I am ready to support the new team in their work for Singapore’s success.”

In a separate Facebook post the same day, DPM Wong expressed gratitude for Mr Lee’s service and leadership.

DPM Wong said: “As I prepare to take over the baton, I am also grateful for the support of my colleagues. I will work closely with them, to harness fully the strengths of the team, and to take Singapore forward. I will share more details about the new Cabinet line-up next week.”

Earlier, on May 8, Mr Lee was gifted a personalised cake by the female People’s Action Party MPs to mark his final sitting in Parliament as Singapore’s third prime minister.

The cake, designed with pastry chef Herve Potus from Shangri-La Singapore, honoured PM Lee’s two decades helming Singapore by reflecting an assortment of his favourite items. These included a variety of Nonya kueh, a bowl of mee siam, a Peranakan table runner, and books on mathematics, coding, technology and politics.

DPM Wong, who entered politics 13 years ago, will be sworn in at 8pm at the Istana as Singapore’s fourth prime minister.