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.
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
GET TO SAFETY: Authorities were scrambling to evacuate nearly 700 people in Hualien County to prepare for overflow from a natural dam formed by a previous typhoon Typhoon Podul yesterday intensified and accelerated as it neared Taiwan, with the impact expected to be felt overnight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, while the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration announced that schools and government offices in most areas of southern and eastern Taiwan would be closed today. The affected regions are Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi City, and Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as the outlying Penghu County. As of 10pm last night, the storm was about 370km east-southeast of Taitung County, moving west-northwest at 27kph, CWA data showed. With a radius of 120km, Podul is carrying maximum sustained
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
RSS