SINGAPORE: Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew has called it a day by retiring from the Cabinet.
Joining him is Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
In an unexpected joint statement released yesterday evening, they said they would leave the cabinet to make way for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his team to have a fresh clean slate.
“We have studied the new political situation and thought how it can affect the future. We have made our contributions to the development of Singapore. The time has come for a younger generation to carry Singapore forward in a more difficult and complex situation. The Prime Minister and his team of younger leaders should have a fresh clean slate.”
Calling the General Election five days ago a “watershed one”, they wrote that they have decided to leave the Cabinet and had a “completely younger team of ministers connect to and engage with this young generation in shaping the future of Singapore.
“But the younger team must always have in mind the interests of the older generation. This generation who has contributed to Singapore must be well-looked after.”
The ruling People’s Action Party won 60 percent of the vote, down from 67 per cent in 2006 and 75 per cent in 2001.
The Workers’ Party won six seats, the most number of seats the opposition has held since independence.
The 87-year old Lee was prime minister from 1959 to 1990 after which Goh took over until 2004.Both won parliament seats in the May 7 general election.