Lee, who has been part of Singapore’s government since 1965, and Goh, who succeeded him as prime minister in 1990, announced in a joint statement that they were opting out of government since last week’s general election signalled the emergence of a new generation.
Both men were returned to parliament in the poll.
The unexpected joint statement released this evening reads:
“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. A younger generation, besides having a non-corrupt and meritocratic government and a high standard of living, wants to be more engaged in the decisions which affect them. 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 in shaping the future of our 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.”
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has not responded to the joint statement, local media reported.
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