Singapore duo quit to make way for young
Source: Agencies |
May 15, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SINGAPORE founding father Lee Kuan Yew resigned from the Cabinet yesterday, ceding leadership to a younger generation.
Lee and fellow former prime minister Goh Chok Tong said in their joint resignation statement they wanted to leave a clean path for younger leaders.
"A younger generation wants to be more engaged in the decisions which affect them," they said. "After a watershed general election, we have decided to leave the cabinet and have a completely younger team of ministers to connect to and engage with this young generation."
The 87-year-old Lee was prime minister from 1959 to 1990 after which Goh took over until 2004. Lee had been known as Minister Mentor while Goh was Senior Minister since 2004, and both won parliament seats in the May 7 election.
The ruling People's Action Party won 60 percent of the vote, down from 67 percent in 2006 and 75 percent in 2001. The Workers Party won six seats, the most the opposition has held since independence.
Lee's resignation marks the first time since 1959 that he hasn't been in Singapore's Cabinet and hails the coming-of-age of his son, 59-year-old Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
(AP)
Lee and fellow former prime minister Goh Chok Tong said in their joint resignation statement they wanted to leave a clean path for younger leaders.
"A younger generation wants to be more engaged in the decisions which affect them," they said. "After a watershed general election, we have decided to leave the cabinet and have a completely younger team of ministers to connect to and engage with this young generation."
The 87-year-old Lee was prime minister from 1959 to 1990 after which Goh took over until 2004. Lee had been known as Minister Mentor while Goh was Senior Minister since 2004, and both won parliament seats in the May 7 election.
The ruling People's Action Party won 60 percent of the vote, down from 67 percent in 2006 and 75 percent in 2001. The Workers Party won six seats, the most the opposition has held since independence.
Lee's resignation marks the first time since 1959 that he hasn't been in Singapore's Cabinet and hails the coming-of-age of his son, 59-year-old Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
(AP)
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