Lawrence Wong pledges more press conferences as part of government's effort to improve public communication; MCI to be renamed

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has pledged to hold more press conferences so that the government can better communicate its "thinking and considerations" to the public when he formally takes over as Singapore’s fourth prime minister.

Speaking to the media on Monday (May 13) after announcing his new Cabinet line-up – two days before he is to be sworn in as the next Prime Minister – Mr Wong said that the government during the COVID-19 pandemic held press conferences frequently to communicate to the public.

At one point, weekly press conferences were held to give the public frequent updates about the COVID-19 situation and the latest measures to control the pandemic.

Mr Wong said that he found such sessions "useful", though he has no plans to hold press conferences at such a level of frequency.

"I'm not planning to do it like that, please don't misunderstand," he said.

From time to time, "when there's some new developments, new thinking", he said it would be useful for himself or relevant ministers to meet with the media in a press conference.

"(This is) just to share our thinking, just to let you know what is happening, and through you, explain the government's thinking and considerations to the public at large," he said.

Mr Wong also explained the rationale for renaming the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), which he said was "not just a renaming exercise".

The Prime Minister's Office in a statement on Monday said: "The new name reflects the ministry's role in driving our national digital agenda."

Elaborating on this to the media, Mr Wong highlighted how the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) and the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) were set up under the Prime Minister's Office.

SNDGO and GovTech have taken the lead in some digitalisation initiatives, but so, too, has the existing MCI, said Mr Wong.

"So rather than do it separately, we thought it was better administratively to bring these efforts together as part of a coherent national digital strategy," said Mr Wong.

The strategy will also cover new areas like artificial intelligence and other digital technologies, he added. 

"And when you do that, when you synergise these efforts, it's substantially a significant change in mindset orientation for the ministry. That's why when you do so, you want to have a new name to reflect this new mindset and this new orientation."

Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo said in a Facebook post after the announcement that her ministry's role in digital development has grown significantly in recent years.

"The renaming to MDDI is therefore a meaningful and timely move to reflect the ministry's broader digital portfolio and acknowledge the new opportunities and challenges in the digital era," said Mrs Teo, who is also Minister-in-charge of Smart Nation and Cybersecurity.

She added that the newly named ministry will oversee cybersecurity and the regulation of digital infrastructure, data protection and online content as well as drive the development and application of digital technologies and capabilities.

This is on top of its existing roles in overseeing information policy and strategy, and coordinating the whole-of-government information policy.

The renaming of MCI to MDDI will take effect from Jul 8.

The article was originally published in TODAY.