The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI; ; ; ) is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for regulating communications, news media, and the government's public communication. It is also responsible for administering the national library, national archives, and public libraries.
History
On 5 June 1959, the Ministry of Culture came into being with the swearing-in and appointments of ministers of the new Government of Singapore. On 1 February 1980, the Broadcasting Division of the Ministry of Culture became a statutory board, the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation.
1985 saw the dissolution of the Ministry of Culture. Its Information Division came under the new Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI). Its arts promotion component was assimilated into the Ministry of Community Development (MCD) as the Cultural Affairs Division.
Five years later, on 28 November 1990, the Information Division of the MCI and the Cultural Affairs Division of MCD, together with other associated departments and statutory boards, reunited to form the Ministry of Information and the Arts (MITA).
On 1 September 1991, the Festival of Arts Secretariat, Singapore Cultural Foundation, the Arts Division of MITA, and the National Theatre Trust merged to form the National Arts Council (NAC).
On 1 October 1994, the Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA) was formed as a statutory board under MITA to oversee and promote the broadcasting industry in Singapore.
On 23 November 2001, the information and communications technology (ICT) functions under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology came under MITA. The expanded ministry was renamed the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, but retained the acronym MITA. In that year, Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) became one of MITA's statutory boards.
On 1 January 2003, the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, Singapore Films Commission and Films and Publications Department (previously under the MITA headquarters) merged to form the Media Development Authority (MDA). On 13 August 2004, the ministry's acronym was changed from "MITA" to "MICA".
On 1 November 2012, MICA was renamed the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI). The move followed the restructuring of two previous ministries – MICA and the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) – into MCI, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). REACH (Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home) was assimilated into MCI while the resilience, arts and heritage portfolios became part of MCCY. MCI oversees the development of the information and communications technology, media and design sectors, public libraries, and the Government's information and public communication policies.
On 18 January 2016, MCI announced that the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Media Development Authority (MDA) will be restructured into two new entities: The Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Government Technology Organisation (GTO) (now Government Technology Agency; GovTech), in the second half of 2016. The new statutory boards were formed on 1 October 2016.
On 8 July 2024, MCI was renamed the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI). It aims to recognise a landscape where digital solutions will become more common.
Organisational structure MDDI has two statutory boards, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the National Library Board (NLB).
MDDI also manages the Cyber Security Agency, a national agency overseeing cybersecurity strategy, operations, education, outreach, and ecosystem development and the Personal Data Protection Commission, Singapore's primary data protection authority.
Ministers The ministry is headed by the Minister for Digital Development and Information, who is appointed as part of the Cabinet of Singapore.
Minister for Culture (1959–1985) Minister Took office Left office Party Cabinet S. RajaratnamMP for Kampong Glam(1915–2006)5 June195911 August1965PAPLee K. ILee K. IIOthman WokMP for Pasir Panjang(1924–2017)12 August196515 April1968PAPJek Yeun ThongMP for Queenstown(1930–2018)16 April196825 September1977PAPLee K. IIILee K. IVLee K. VOng Teng CheongMP for Kim Keat(1936–2002)Acting26 September19775 January1981PAPS. DhanabalanMP for Kallang(born 1937)6 January19811 January1985PAPLee K. VI
Minister for Communications (1968–1985) Minister Took office Left office Party CabinetYong Nyuk LinMP for Geylang West(1918–2012)16 April196831 July1975PAPLee K. IIILee K. IVLim Kim SanMP for Cairnhill(1916–2006)1 August197530 June1978PAPLee K. VOng Teng CheongMP for Kim Keat(1936–2002)1 July19788 May1983PAPLee K. VIOng Pang BoonMP for Telok Ayer(born 1929)9 May19836 September1983PAPYeo Ning HongMP for Kim Seng(born 1943)7 September198331 May1984PAP1 June19841 January1985
Minister for Communications and Information (1985–1990) Minister Took office Left office Party CabinetYeo Ning HongMP for Kim Seng SMC(born 1943)2 January198527 November1990PAPLee K. VIILee K. VIII
Minister for Communications (1990–1999) Minister Took office Left office Party CabinetYeo Ning HongMP for Kim Seng SMC(born 1943)28 November199030 June1991PAPGoh IMah Bow TanMP for Tampines GRC(born 1948)1 July19916 September1991PAP7 September19912 June1999Goh IIGoh III
Minister for Information and the Arts (1990–2001) Minister Took office Left office Party CabinetGeorge YeoMP for Aljunied GRC(born 1954)28 November199030 June1991PAPGoh I1 July19912 June1999Goh IIGoh IIILee Yock SuanMP for Cheng San GRC(born 1946)3 June199922 November2001PAP
Minister for Communications and Information Technology (1999–2001) Minister Took office Left office Party CabinetYeo Cheow TongMP for Hong Kah GRC(born 1948)3 June199922 November2001PAPGoh III
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (2001–2012) Minister Took office Left office Party CabinetDavid LimMP for Holland-Bukit Panjang GRCActing23 November200111 May2003PAPGoh IVLee Boon YangMP for Jalan Besar GRC(born 1947)12 May200331 March2009PAPLee H. ILee H. IILui Tuck YewMP for Tanjong Pagar GRC (until 2011) and Moulmein-Kallang GRC (from 2011)(born 1961)1 April200931 October2010PAP1 November201020 May2011Yaacob IbrahimMP for Moulmein–Kallang GRC(born 1955)21 May201131 October2012PAPLee H. III
Minister for Communications and Information (2012–2024) Minister Took office Left office Party CabinetYaacob IbrahimMP for Moulmein–Kallang GRC (until 2015) and Jalan Besar GRC (from 2015)(born 1955)1 November201230 April2018PAPLee H. IIILee H. IVS. IswaranMP for West Coast GRC(born 1962)1 May201814 May2021PAPLee H. VJosephine TeoMP for Jalan Besar GRC(born 1968)15 May20217 July2024PAPWong I
Minister for Digital Development and Information (2024–present) Minister Took office Left office Party CabinetJosephine TeoMP for Jalan Besar GRC(born 1968)8 July2024IncumbentPAPWong IWong II Notes
References
External links Official website of the Ministry of Digital Development and Information