Minister Mentor
Minister Mentor (Chinese: 内阁资政; pinyin: Nèigé zī zhèng, Malay: Menteri Mentor) is a Singapore cabinet position created in 2004 as part of a change in Singapore's political leadership. The reason the government gave for creating this job is that Lee Kuan Yew can still help and advise the government.[1][2]
The newly appointed Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong (son of Lee Kuan Yew and the next prime minister after Goh Chok Tong), announced Lee Kuan Yew's new together with the naming of his Cabinet on August 12, 2004.[3][4] Before being appointed as Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew held the post of Senior Minister (1990–2004) in the Cabinet of then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. This role of Minister Mentor was considered by some academics to be a sign that Lee Kuan Yew, despite no longer being the Prime Minister of Singapore, still had some power in Singapore's government.[5][6]
On 14th May 2011, Lee and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong announced their retirement from the cabinet after General Elections 2011, which had changed Singapore's politics.[7]
The late founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew was the first and only Minister Mentor of Singapore.
| Preceded by Position created |
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew 12 August 2004 - 21 May 2011 |
Succeeded by Position uncreated |
References
- ↑ Kah Beng, Teo (2005). "SINGAPORE IN 2004: Vigilance amid Growing Uncertainty". Southeast Asian Affairs: 331–348. JSTOR 27913289.
- ↑ "Founding father Lee Kuan Yew to mentor son's cabinet". Agence France Presse. August 10, 2004. Archived from the original on July 6, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
- ↑ Yip, Melanie (11 August 2004). "The role of the Minister Mentor in Singapore's political future". Radio Singapore International. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Why it's no change in Singapore". The Guardian. 16 August 2004. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
- ↑ Rodan, Gary (January–February 2005). "Singapore in 2004: Long-Awaited Leadership Transition". Asian Survey. 45 (1): 140–145. doi:10.1525/as.2005.45.1.140. JSTOR 10.1525/as.2005.45.1.140.[dead link]
- ↑ Perlez, Jane (August 11, 2004). "Singapore's New Prime Minister Goes With the Tried and True". The New York Times. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
- ↑ SM Goh, MM Lee to leave Cabinet. Singapore. 14 May 2011. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1128878/1/.html. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
