Singapore was to change leaders for the first time in 14 years yesterday, swearing in Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍) as prime minister after a carefully orchestrated succession process seen as key to the city-state's economic success.
The 52-year-old son of independence leader Lee Kuan Yew (
Outgoing Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong (
Lee Kuan Yew -- the country's first prime minister -- will become an adviser with the custom-made title of minister mentor.
Violence and divisive political campaigning characterize many of Asia's electoral contests but political transitions in this affluent city-state, which marked its 39th independence day on Monday, have always been well planned.
Despite criticism about a lack of democracy here, the process has resulted in a stable political climate and continuity of government policies -- key factors which have attracted 6,000 multinational corporations to base their businesses in Singapore.
"This political transition is so well orchestrated with the goal of continuity in mind," said regional economist Song Seng Wun of GK Goh brokerage.
"It's been so well anticipated that I will be surprised if there will be any impact on policies."
Lee is a British-educated former brigadier general who has long been groomed to lead Singapore after growing up in the shadow of his authoritarian father.
He was a key player in Goh's Cabinet, holding the post of finance minister and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the central bank, in addition to his post as one of two deputy prime ministers.
President S.R. Nathan was to deliver a speech at the televised ceremony at the Istana, which was once the residence of Singapore's British governors and now houses the offices of the president and prime minister.
Chief Justice Yong Pung How was to then swear in the new prime minister, according to one of Lee's aides. Goh, 63, was to be sworn into his new post after that.
Lee Kuan Yew, who turns 81 next month, was to then take the oath for his new position as a counsellor to the new generation of leaders. He had also taken the title of senior minister when he stepped down in 1990 in favor of Goh.
Deputy prime ministers Tony Tan, 64, who will retain his post until retiring in June next year, and S. Jayakumar, 65, the outgoing foreign minister, were also to take their oaths, followed by the rest of the Cabinet.
Lee Kuan Yew paid tribute to his former protege Goh in a statement carried by local media yesterday.
"He has done well for all of us. I am proud and happy that I was a member of his team. We worked well together," Lee said.
SEPARATE: The MAC rebutted Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is China’s province, asserting that UN Resolution 2758 neither mentions Taiwan nor grants the PRC authority over it The “status quo” of democratic Taiwan and autocratic China not belonging to each other has long been recognized by the international community, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday in its rebuttal of Beijing’s claim that Taiwan can only be represented in the UN as “Taiwan, Province of China.” Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) yesterday at a news conference of the third session at the 14th National People’s Congress said that Taiwan can only be referred to as “Taiwan, Province of China” at the UN. Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, which is not only history but
CROSSED A LINE: While entertainers working in China have made pro-China statements before, this time it seriously affected the nation’s security and interests, a source said The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) late on Saturday night condemned the comments of Taiwanese entertainers who reposted Chinese statements denigrating Taiwan’s sovereignty. The nation’s cross-strait affairs authority issued the statement after several Taiwanese entertainers, including Patty Hou (侯佩岑), Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜) and Michelle Chen (陳妍希), on Friday and Saturday shared on their respective Sina Weibo (微博) accounts a post by state broadcaster China Central Television. The post showed an image of a map of Taiwan along with the five stars of the Chinese flag, and the message: “Taiwan is never a country. It never was and never will be.” The post followed remarks
INVESTMENT WATCH: The US activity would not affect the firm’s investment in Taiwan, where 11 production lines would likely be completed this year, C.C. Wei said Investments by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in the US should not be a cause for concern, but rather seen as the moment that the company and Taiwan stepped into the global spotlight, President William Lai (賴清德) told a news conference at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday alongside TSMC chairman and chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家). Wei and US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday announced plans to invest US$100 billion in the US to build three advanced foundries, two packaging plants, and a research and development center, after Trump threatened to slap tariffs on chips made
CONSISTENT COMMITMENT: The American Institute in Taiwan director said that the US would expand investment and trade relationships to make both nations more prosperous The US would not abandon its commitment to Taiwan, and would make Taiwan safer, stronger and more prosperous, American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene said. “The US’ commitment to Taiwan has been consistent over many administrations and over many years, and we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan, including our opposition to any attempt to use force or coercion to change Taiwan’s status,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Liberty Times (the sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) on Friday last week, which was published in the Chinese-language newspaper yesterday. The US would double down on its efforts
RSS