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89-498: Lee Hsien Loong PPA(E) SPMJ DK (born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been the senior minister of Singapore since 2024. He previously served as the third prime minister of Singapore and secretary-general of the People's Action Party (PAP) from 2004 to 2024. He has been a member of parliament (MP) for Teck Ghee since 1984, initially as Teck Ghee SMC from 1984 to 1991 and as

178-759: A Bachelor of Science with a major in economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1994 under the Public Service Commission scholarship. He received a Master of Arts in applied economics from the University of Michigan in 1995 and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University in 2004. Wong began his career as an economist working in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in August 1997. It

267-619: A chef . His mother has ancestry from Tong'an District and Longhu while his father has ancestry from Dabu County in China. Lee was educated at Nanyang Primary School and Catholic High School —where he played clarinet in the school band, and National Junior College before he was awarded the President's Scholarship and Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship in 1971 by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to study mathematics at Trinity College, University of Cambridge . He became

356-791: A diplomatic breakthrough, which raised tensions with the PRC. The Singapore government later published the full records of the discussion with the Chinese embassy in Singapore's local media. On 28 August 2004, in his first National Day Rally speech and as prime minister, Lee criticised the Taiwanese leadership and populace over their pro-independence stance. He reiterated the reasons for the visit and said that Singapore's decision to stand firm on its vital interests had earned it international respect. Relations were eventually mended when Lee met Hu Jintao at

445-527: A division of Ang Mo Kio GRC since 1991. Born and raised in Singapore during British colonial rule , Lee is the eldest son of Singapore's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew . He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge , in 1974 with first class honours in mathematics and a Diploma in Computer Science with distinction (equivalent to a first-class master's in computer science). He served in

534-479: A fourth child. In November 2004, Lee sparked a national debate when he proposed to build two Integrated Resorts (IRs), or hotel-casinos. Despite the longstanding stance against gambling in Singapore, with the exception of regulated industries such as the Singapore Turf Club and Singapore Pools , the government was concerned its stance was hurting the economic competitiveness of the country, risking

623-470: A government notification to users". In the leadup to the 2020 general election, Lee's own brother Lee Hsien Yang accused him of reneging on promises made in his 2004 National Day Rally speech about promising increased civil liberties and the freedom to express diverse views without interference. Lee and his ministers actively rebutted allegations by overseas media that POFMA is a tool for censorship, saying that "no information or view has been suppressed" as

712-522: A national movement called ActiveSG, which gives all Singaporeans and permanent residents ActiveSG$ 100 to sign up for sports programmes, and enter into swimming pools and gyms at the various sports centres islandwide. Wong also chaired the Singapore High Performance Sports Steering Committee, which provides strategic guidance on identifying and nurturing high performing sporting talents. Wong said that

801-400: A prelude to Heng succeeding Lee as Singapore's fourth prime minister after the next general election. Lee noted that the cabinet reshuffle "was more extensive than usual", with younger, fourth-generation ministers being prioritised and now heading two-thirds of the ministries. Speaking at his party convention on 19 November 2017, Lee said that raising taxes was a necessity to fund investment in

890-507: A rejuvenation process in the government and to provide a clean slate for Lee. Lee was sworn in to a third term on 21 May 2011. On 1 June 2011, Lee was named chairman of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation , which manages more than S$ 100 billion in assets. He succeeded his father, Lee Kuan Yew, who remained as senior advisor to the fund until his death. In 2012, Lee indicated that he hoped not to be prime minister beyond

979-831: A result of the Act and that the government "has not restricted free debate". In an interview with The Straits Times , Lee noted that fake news could disrupt society, and that the United States and Europe were struggling to manage the situation, especially in light of alleged Russian interference in recent elections . He cited Germany as a country that has enacted a similar law . In response to concerns that POFMA could curb free speech, Lee said that free speech exists within appropriate boundaries, with no society having absolute freedom of speech, and that defamatory or threatening speech should be banned to facilitate meaningful exchange of information and ideals. The first COVID-19 case in Singapore

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1068-426: Is a little red dot . If we don't defend our interests, who will?" Lee in his National Day Rally speech The PRC later retaliated by cancelling several visits by high-ranking PRC officials to Singapore and delaying planned signing ceremonies , hinting that free trade negotiations would also be pushed back. The matter was further complicated and magnified when Taiwanese media headlined the visit and portrayed it as

1157-476: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lawrence Wong Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai (born 18 December 1972) is a Singaporean politician, economist and former civil servant who has been serving as the fourth prime minister of Singapore since 2024 and the minister for finance since 2021. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing

1246-1233: Is my promise to all Singaporeans: I will serve you with all my heart. I will never settle for the status quo. I will always seek better ways to make tomorrow better than today." He also stated that his mission as Prime Minister was "to continue defying the odds and to sustain this miracle called Singapore." On 12 June 2024, it was announced that Gan Kim Yong had taken over as Chairman of the Economic Development Board's International Advisory Council since 1 June from Wong, who previously took over from Tharman in July 2023. Wong made his first overseas visits as Prime Minister from 11 June to 12 June 2024 where he made his introductory visits to Brunei and Malaysia as Prime Minister. Wong attended his first ASEAN Meeting as Prime Minister from 9 to 12 October and first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting from 23 to 26 October. Wong attended his first APEC and G20 Meetings as Prime Minister from 14-16 in Peru and 17-20 November in Brazil. Wong previously married at

1335-585: The 1984 general election , all of the old Central Executive Committee members except Lee Kuan Yew resigned on 1 January 1985. Lee was first elected Member of Parliament for the Teck Ghee SMC in 1984, at the age of 32. He was subsequently appointed Minister of State for Trade and Industry , and Minister of State for Defence . In 1985, Lee chaired the government's economic committee, which recommended changes to established government policies to reduce business costs, foster longer-term growth and revive

1424-484: The 2011 Singapore general election , the PAP saw a 6.46% swing downwards to 60.14%, its lowest since independence. The result, while a landslide victory for the PAP by international standards, was seen as a rebuke to the ruling party as a result of massive immigration of low-skilled workers, high-profile rail transport breakdowns and the rising cost of living in the intervening years. During the campaigning period, Lee has sensed

1513-602: The 2020 general election , Wong led a four-member PAP team to contest in Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC again. The PAP team won with 63.18% of the vote against the Singapore Democratic Party and Wong retained his seat as the Member of Parliament representing Limbang ward. On 27 July 2020, following a Cabinet reshuffle, Wong succeeded Ong Ye Kung as Minister for Education . On 8 November that year, Wong

1602-699: The APEC Economics Leaders' Meeting on 19 November 2004, which signified the end of the dispute. On 12 August 2004, Lee succeeded Goh Chok Tong as prime minister and relinquished his chairmanship of the Monetary Authority of Singapore to Goh. Chief Justice Yong Pung How had Lee sworn in at the Istana . As prime minister, Lee also became chairman of the People's Association . In his maiden National Day Rally speech on 22 August 2004, Lee announced several new initiatives, among them

1691-648: The Great Recession ; the downturn was attributed to the city's trade-dependent economy. To counteract the ailing economy, the government announced a S$ 2.8 billion stimulus fund in November 2008 for SMEs and local firms and further pledged a S$ 20.5 billion Resilience Package in January 2009. These measures were intended to keep the unemployment rate low, having risen to 2.6% in December 2008 and 3.3% by

1780-632: The Monetary Authority of Singapore as deputy chair, replacing Lim Hng Kiang . In February 2022, Wong announced a S$ 500 million stimulus package due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. Wong also said the government would set aside an additional S$ 560 million to "help Singaporean citizens deal with the rising cost of living". Later in June 2022, Wong announced another $ 1.5 billion support package to provide targeted relief for lower-income and vulnerable groups. At Budget 2023, Wong announced that

1869-672: The PAP Community Foundation from 2016 until June 2022 where it was handed over to Minister Josephine Teo In August 2016, the National Arts Council attracted criticisms over the high consultation fees paid for a bin centre, as flagged by the Auditor-General's Office. Wong addressed the issue in Parliament, saying that the project was at acceptable cost due to the need for extensive study of

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1958-491: The Prime Minister's Office issued a press statement confirming that Lawrence Wong would succeed Lee Hsien Loong as prime minister. Wong was officially sworn in at 20:00 local time on 15 May at The Istana . He became the country's fourth prime minister, as well as the first to be born after Singapore's independence in 1965 . At his swearing-in ceremony, during his first speech as Prime Minister, Wong stated "This

2047-721: The Remaking Singapore Committee . On 10 July 2004, Lee visited Taiwan , an island claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) that has been ruled by the Republic of China (ROC) since 1945. The Singapore government maintains a policy of neutrality in the Cross-Strait relations between the two sides despite having severed diplomatic relations with the Republic of China on 3 October 1990 in favour of

2136-469: The Senior Wrangler at Cambridge in 1973, and graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts with first class honours degree (later promoted to Master of Arts by seniority) in mathematics and a diploma in computer science (now equivalent to a master's degree in computer science) with distinction. His college tutor, Denis Marrian, later described Lee as "the brightest mathematician he had admitted to

2225-819: The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) between 1971 and 1984, and attained the rank Brigadier-General , completing a Master of Public Administration degree at Harvard Kennedy School in 1980. Lee resigned from the SAF in 1984 to enter politics and was elected the MP for Teck Ghee SMC . Since its dissolution in 1991, he has represented the Teck Ghee ward of Ang Mo Kio GRC. Lee has served as Deputy Prime Minister , Minister for Finance , Minister for Trade and Industry , and Second Minister for Defence under two Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong before assuming

2314-910: The chief executive officer (CEO) of the Energy Market Authority (EMA) between 2009 and 2011. Wong made his political debut in the 2011 general election where he contested in West Coast GRC as part of a five-member PAP team and won. Wong subsequently contested in Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC in the 2015 general election , and retained his parliamentary seat in the 2020 general election . Prior to his appointment as Minister of Finance, Wong served as Minister for Culture, Community and Youth between 2012 and 2015, Second Minister of Communications and Information between 2014 and 2015, Minister for National Development between 2015 and 2020, Second Minister of Finance between 2016 and 2021, and Minister for Education between 2020 and 2021. Wong

2403-545: The principal private secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong between May 2005 and August 2008. In September 2008, Wong became deputy chief executive officer of the Energy Market Authority , rising to chief executive officer on 1 January 2009. He relinquished the role on 1 April 2011. Wong entered politics at the 2011 general election when he contested as part of a five-member People's Action Party (PAP) team in West Coast GRC . The PAP team won with 66.66% of

2492-636: The "Forward Singapore" movement as part of his vision for a society that "benefits many, not a few". The Forward Singapore report was released on 27 October 2023. Following the resignation of former Senior Minister and current President Tharman Shanmugaratnam , Wong was appointed to several positions such as Chair of the GIC Investment Strategies Committee, Chair of the EDB International Advisory Council until his subsequent relinquishment of

2581-663: The Arts and Senior Minister of State for Education. On 1 November 2012, he was appointed Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information. Wong led a team to bid for the Singapore Botanic Gardens to be recognised as Singapore's first UNESCO World Heritage Site . Wong also spearheaded the free museum entry policy for all Singaporeans and permanent residents, to all national museums and heritage institutions from 18 May 2013. In 2013, Wong also announced

2670-487: The Assurance Package was enhanced from $ 6.6 billion, announced in 2022, to $ 9.6 billion. This was to offset additional GST expenses for the majority of Singaporean households for at least five years. In September 2023, Wong announced an additional $ 1.1 billion Cost-of-Living (COL) Support Package to provide more relief for Singaporean households, especial lower- to middle-income families. On 14 April 2022, Wong

2759-563: The Chairmanship to Gan Kim Yong and Deputy Chairman of the GIC . On 5 November 2023, Lee Hsien Loong announced that he would be passing his ministerial role to Wong in November 2024, before the next general election , "if all goes well". Wong subsequently emerged as Lee's apparent successor to the position of prime minister; the latter's initial plan to step down at the age of 70 had been complicated by Heng's withdrawal. On 15 April 2024,

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2848-528: The GST to be suspended entirely or for the exemption of essential goods from the tax. Lee's government introduced the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) in 2018, colloquially known as the "fake news law", which was first mooted by Minister of Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam . Despite concerns by activists and opposition Members of Parliament that the Act would limit free speech under

2937-598: The International Advisory Council (IAC) of the Economic Development Board (EDB) from 8 July 2023 until his subsequent relinquishment to Gan Kim Yong on 1 June 2024. Wong was also appointed Deputy Chairman of GIC's Board of Directors on 1 October 2023. On 15 May 2024, Wong was sworn in as the fourth prime minister of Singapore , becoming the first prime minister born after the establishment of modern-day Singapore . Wong

3026-679: The Joint Operations and Plans Directorate, and Chief of Staff of the General Staff. He also attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in 1978. Lee rose quickly through the ranks in the Singapore Army , becoming the youngest brigadier-general in Singapore's history after his promotion in July 1983 at the age of 32. Notably, he was put in command of

3115-687: The Lee government's effort to promote Singapore as an international center for arbitration, the city hosted the leaders of Mainland China and Taiwan for the Ma-Xi meeting on 7 November 2015 and the North Korea–United States summit on 12 June 2018. Singapore hosted the signing of the Singapore Convention on Mediation on 7 August 2019, the first United Nations treaty named after it, and ratified it on 25 February 2020. On 20 July 2018, it

3204-521: The Limbang division of Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC since 2015, and previously the Boon Lay division of West Coast GRC between 2011 and 2015. Prior to entering politics, Wong worked at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of Health (MOH). He was Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong between 2005 and 2008. He also served as

3293-461: The People's Republic. To continue facilitating this policy when Lee becomes Prime Minister, Lee believed it to be important for him to "personally feel for the situation" in Taiwan and made the trip going to Taiwan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials advised that any visit to Taiwan by an incumbent prime minister would be diplomatically impossible, hence the trip was planned a month before Lee assumed

3382-510: The Singapore economy, which was experiencing a recession at the time. The committee's recommendations included reductions in corporate and personal taxes and the introduction of a consumption tax . In 1986, Lee was appointed Acting Minister for Trade and Industry . In 1987, he became a full member of the Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Industry and Second Minister for Defence. In March 1986, First Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong discussed

3471-519: The accomplishments of Singapore athletes at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games indicate that Singapore's investment in sports is paying off. On 1 October 2015, Wong became the Minister for National Development . He also chaired the steering committee for the development of Jurong Lake Gardens . On 22 August 2016, Wong was appointed Second Minister for Finance , in addition to being Minister for National Development. On 29 August 2016, he stepped down from

3560-410: The age of 28 but divorced his first wife after three years because of "incompatibility". His second wife is Tiffany Loo Tze Lui, a former banker currently working in wealth management and who served on the board of directors of YMCA Singapore. He has no children and is a Methodist Christian . His elder brother is an aerospace engineer at DSO National Laboratories . His hobbies include playing

3649-637: The age of seventy, noting the need for someone to be in tune with the public. In the 2015 Singapore general election , Lee was re-elected in Ang Mo Kio GRC, with the PAP winning 83 of 89 seats in Parliament and 69.9% of the national vote. Lee's fourth term as prime minister was marked by events such as the China–United States trade war , which adversely affected the nation's economy, being highly reliant on free markets and trade. Increased cyberattacks on Singapore-related services and websites led to

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3738-455: The announcement came three months before the 2006 Singaporean general election , it drew criticism that the ruling party was involved in "vote buying". In that election, the PAP won 82 of the 84 seats, including 37 walkovers. The Ang Mo Kio GRC was contested for the first time in 15 years. The Workers' Party (WP) claimed that they wanted to give Ang Mo Kio residents a chance to exercise their vote. Lee and his six-member GRC team won 60.42% of

3827-729: The board of directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore and was replaced by Ong Ye Kung . During the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore , Wong and Gan Kim Yong were appointed co-chairs of a multi-ministerial committee formed by the government in January 2020 to manage the situation. On 26 March 2020, while paying tribute to frontline workers helping in Singapore's fight against COVID-19, Wong turned emotional and teary-eyed while delivering his address in Parliament. He thanked healthcare workers, as well as those working in cleaning, transport and security sectors for providing much-needed services to keep Singapore going during this difficult time. In

3916-442: The college". Béla Bollobás said that Lee "would have been a world-class research mathematician", but his father did not realise this and persuaded Lee to leave the field. In an interview prior to Lee's resignation as prime minister in 2024, Lee said he did not feel regret pursuing the path of politics over mathematics, saying that he "had the responsibility to come back to Singapore, be part of Singapore, and do what [he] could to help

4005-434: The country to succeed", and added saying it was "the right thing to do". He subsequently went on to complete a Master of Public Administration degree, becoming a Mason Fellow at Harvard University 's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1980. Lee joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1971, and served as a commissioned officer between 1974 and 1984, and held various staff and command posts, including Director of

4094-587: The discontent in public sentiment and made a public apology. While the PAP swept into power, winning 81 out of 87 seats, it lost Aljunied GRC to the Workers' Party (WP), a historic win by an opposition party. Foreign Minister George Yeo and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua of the GRC were defeated. Following the election, Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong resigned from the cabinet as part of

4183-443: The end of Q2 2009. In August 2009, Lee declared that "the worst [was] over" and that Singapore was in a stronger position due to better-than-forecast growth in the manufacturing and services industries. The Ministry of Trade and Industry announced an end to the recession in November 2009 and forecast a 3–5% growth for 2010. Singapore subsequently saw a record-high economic recovery of 14.53%, defying predictions of moderate growth, with

4272-755: The form of the GST , which is expected to rise from 7% to 9% by 2025. Lee's government said that it was necessary to plan ahead for increasing annual recurrent expenses, with Heng Swee Keat saying that the "hike cannot be put off or scrapped" to pay for critical future needs, especially in the healthcare sector. In his Budget 2020 speech in February, Heng announced amendments to the GST Voucher Fund Act that would allow grants-in-aid to be given to parents or guardians for infants and children to mitigate their expenses. Second Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong said

4361-480: The growing sophistication of the economy and the financial markets' increasing volatility, Lee "may not have the full-time attention" due to his concurrent duties as prime minister. The economy grew for the first two years of Lee's tenure but plunged 12.5% during the Great Recession . Singapore became the first Asian country to slip into a recession during the fourth quarter of 2008, with the financial, construction and manufacturing sectors being particularly affected by

4450-466: The guise of preventing disinformation, the bill passed by a 72–9 vote on 8 May 2019 after two days' debate. Reporters Without Borders called the bill "terrible", "totalitarian", and a tool for censorship. Reuters wrote that the act "ensnares" government critics. Social media firms like Facebook expressed concern that the law would grant "broad powers to the Singapore executive branch to compel us to remove content they deem to be false and pro-actively push

4539-464: The independence of Taiwan , with the PRC claiming that Singapore was making a "historical error" for the trip. Then-Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar replied to the PRC counterpart of him Li Zhaoxing that the ROC government had been asked to keep the visit low-profile and that it would proceed as planned. "When our vital interests are at stake, we must quietly stand our ground. As Dr Habibie said, Singapore

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4628-505: The intent was to expand the range of people who qualify for the fund. With the amendment, the Act would allow for the funding of the $ 6 billion Assurance Package, which was intended to delay the impact of the impending hike for five years. The proposed hike met with broad disapproval from the opposition, with the Workers' Party and Progress Singapore Party calling for the GST to be retained at its present rate of 7% and others calling for

4717-826: The introduction of the Cybersecurity Act in 2018 and the establishment of the Cyber Security Agency . The defeat of the Barisan Nasional government in the 2018 Malaysian general election , which saw the return of Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister, led to a chill in relations as the new Pakatan Harapan government sought to overturn previously signed agreements on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail and Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System , and also disputed with Singapore on airspace and maritime rights. As part of

4806-558: The leadership that the lack of an official channel to engage with the younger generation might lead them to vote for opposition parties and potentially bring the PAP government down. The youth wing was an official "tailor-made" mechanism to allow dissenting opinions to be heard. Lee was the first chairman of the PAP Youth Committee upon its establishment, the predecessor to Young PAP . On 28 November 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee Kuan Yew as prime minister. Lee Hsien Loong

4895-525: The location and technicality involved with the building of the refuse centre in the Civic District. Under his charge, Wong also introduced the S$ 200 million Cultural Matching Fund, a dollar-for-dollar matching grant for cash donations to arts and heritage charities and Institutions of Public Character in Singapore. In the 2015 general election , Wong was part of a four-member PAP team contesting in

4984-475: The loss of tourism revenue to other cities. In April 2005, despite some public opposition, the government approved the proposal. The IRs were built in Marina Bay and Sentosa . To limit the negative social impact of casino gambling, Lee suggested safeguards such as prohibiting minors from the casinos and charging an entrance fee for Singaporeans of S$ 100 (or S$ 2000 for a yearly pass). The Casino Control Act

5073-609: The newly formed Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC . The PAP team won with 68.7% of the vote against the Singapore Democratic Party and Wong was elected as the Member of Parliament representing the Limbang ward of Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC. Wong was also the Chairman of the Steering Committee for the 2015 Southeast Asian Games . Wong had also announced several key initiatives to get more Singaporeans involved in sports. This includes

5162-501: The number of Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) in Parliament. In between 2020 and 2021, Lee oversaw the government response to COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent recession and recovery . In 2022, he also oversaw the government response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine , making Singapore the only Southeast Asian country to impose sanctions on Russia. That same year, his government de jure and de facto legalised same-sex sexual activity between men by repealing

5251-404: The number of group representation constituencies (GRC) and increasing the number of non-constituency members of parliament (NCMP) and nominated members of parliament (NMP) to a maximum of nine each (inclusive of the number of elected opposition members). A cooling-off day on the day before the election was instituted, where campaigning is prohibited except for party political broadcasts. In

5340-483: The office of Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore on 13 June 2022, serving alongside Heng Swee Keat . On 26 November 2022, Wong was appointed to the newly created position of Deputy Secretary-General of the PAP. Wong was previously Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) from 2023 to 2024 as well as Deputy Chairman between 2021 and 2023. He assumed Chairmanship of the Investment Strategies Committee of GIC from 7 July 2023 while he assumed Chairmanship of

5429-495: The office of prime minister in August 2004. In his first two years, his government enacted a five-day work week and extended maternity leave days. His proposal to build two integrated resorts in Singapore to increase tourism revenue led to the development of the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa . Following the Great Recession of 2008, he oversaw the country's economic recovery within two years. Further political reforms in 2010 saw increased online activism, as well as

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5518-416: The pandemic pushing Singapore into a recession, the government unveiled four successive stimulus packages intended to keep the economy afloat, the Unity , Resilience , Solidarity and Fortitude budgets. Following the 2020 Singapore general election , Lee was re-elected in Ang Mo Kio GRC, with the PAP securing 61.23% of the national vote, beginning his fifth successive term as prime minister. The election

5607-402: The policy of the "five-day work week" which removed the half-working day on Saturday. The plan took effect on 1 January 2005. In response to public feedback, maternity leave was also extended from eight to twelve weeks after consultation with employers and unions. To encourage the growth of the birthrate in Singapore, the Baby Bonus scheme was expanded to provide financial support to women who bear

5696-434: The premiership and in his capacity as a private citizen, not as a government minister or as the head of government, with the PRC embassy informed on 9 July 2004. On the same day's afternoon, the PRC government summoned the Singapore ambassador in Beijing and urged the cancellation of Lee's trip, citing the likelihood of Chen Shui Bian 's administration in Taiwan exploiting the trip as a diplomatic coup and using it to promote

5785-429: The question with Lee on encouraging younger Singaporeans to join the party. Goh was firm that the proposed committee should attract only the right kinds of members, ruling out material rewards as an incentive. The proposed youth wing was to encourage the improvement of the system from within, which would give new members a stake in the country's future. Lee later said the establishment of the youth wing reflected concerns by

5874-487: The rescue operations following the Sentosa cable car disaster . Lee served as commanding officer of the 23rd Battalion Singapore Artillery in the Singapore Army before he left the SAF in 1984 for politics. During the 1980s, Lee was regarded as the core member of the next batch of new leaders in the People's Action Party (PAP) leadership transition that was taking place in the mid-1980s, as Lee Kuan Yew had declared that he would step down as prime minister in 1984. Following

5963-400: The selection of a new 4G leader. Lee and Senior Ministers Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Teo Chee Hean abstained from participating in the process. Wong received an "overwhelming majority" of support in the consultation process, surpassing that of Ong Ye Kung and Chan Chun Sing , his cabinet colleagues and co-contestants in the 4G leadership race. He received 15 out of the 19 votes from

6052-403: The setting up of a new S$ 100 million National Youth Fund for youth to champion community and social causes. On 1 May 2014, Wong was promoted to Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Communications and Information . He was also a co-opted Member of the 32nd, 33rd and 35th CEC before his win in the election into the 36th PAP Central Executive Committee (CEC). Wong

6141-439: The social, healthcare, economic and infrastructure sectors. Annual expenses on preschools is expected to reach $ 1.7 billion by 2022, while the growth in the ageing population is predicted to create a larger demand for affordable healthcare. Construction and refurbishment of new port and rail infrastructure, coupled with economic restructuring and training of workers, also necessitated tax increases. The taxes raised would be in

6230-415: The stakeholders polled, and as no candidate is allowed to vote for himself, this meant that only three other individuals did not vote for him as their first choice. His candidature was unanimously endorsed by the Cabinet and subsequently, by the PAP MPs at a party caucus on 14 April. His appointment was announced by Prime Minister Lee in a Facebook post the same day. On 6 June 2022, a Cabinet reshuffle

6319-478: The then already unenforced colonial-era Section 377A . Lee is frequently noted by the international media as the world's highest-paid state leader . His libel suits against journalists and political opponents have been frequently covered by international news outlets. In April 2024, Lee announced that he would not seek a sixth term as prime minister in the forthcoming general election and resigned from his position as prime minister in May alongside his cabinet; he

6408-457: The unemployment rate falling to 1.8% by September 2010. On 27 May 2009, Lee gave a speech in Parliament validating the roles of nonpartisan Nominated members of parliament (NMP) and praising the NMP scheme as having improved "quality of debate" in the-PAP dominated parliament. He proposed to make the scheme permanent. In May 2010, Lee instituted electoral reforms to the electoral system by reducing

6497-566: The vote against the Reform Party and Wong was elected as the Member of Parliament representing the Boon Lay ward of West Coast GRC. On 21 May 2011, Wong was appointed Minister of State for Defence and Minister of State for Education . He was also appointed to the board of directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore on 10 June 2011. On 1 August 2012, he was promoted to Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and

6586-463: The votes against WP's inexperienced team. On 29 November 2007, Lee announced that he would relinquish his finance ministerial portfolio to Tharman Shanmugaratnam on 1 December of that year. The handover was largely supported by business analysts, who felt that the importance of the position necessitated the dedication of a full-time minister for Singapore to entrench and promote its role as a financial hub. Regional economist Song Seng Wun said that with

6675-795: Was also appointed as the Head of the SG50 Programme Office that coordinates the work of five committees for Singapore's Golden Jubilee Year celebrations. Wong was also the co-chair for the SG50 Culture and Community Committee in August 2013. As Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Wong was involved in the transformation of the Civic District —the birthplace of modern Singapore which contained many institutions that have witnessed important turning points in Singapore's history. In January 2016, he assumed office as Chairman of

6764-402: Was announced that sophisticated state-linked actors had hacked Lee's health data along with that of 1.5 million other residents. The hack was intended to access Lee's data in particular. On 23 April 2019, Lee reshuffled his cabinet and promoted Heng Swee Keat to deputy prime minister , effective 1 May 2019. As part of the party's leadership succession, the move was widely interpreted as

6853-474: Was announced where Wong was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister, which further cemented his position as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong 's successor. In addition to becoming Deputy Prime Minister, he was also named "Acting Prime Minister" in Lee's absence. He had also taken over responsibility of the Strategy Group in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from Heng Swee Keat . On 28 June 2022, Wong launched

6942-709: Was appointed chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in January 1998, and in 2001 he was made the finance minister . To ease the growing budget deficit due to falling tax revenues from cuts in corporate and personal income taxes and other factors such as the Iraq War and SARS outbreak, Lee proposed on 29 August 2003 to raise the GST from three per cent to five per cent, a change that took place in January 2004. Lee initiated several amendments to render requirements for Singapore citizenship less restrictive, notably for foreign-born children of Singaporean women. The changes were made after repeated pleas from MPs and

7031-656: Was born on 18 December 1972, in the eastern part of Singapore . Growing up, Wong and his family lived in a public Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Marine Parade . Wong's Hainanese father worked as a sales executive while his mother was a teacher at his primary school. As a child, his father gave him a guitar and he developed a love for music. Wong attended Haig Boys' Primary School (now Tanjong Katong Primary School), Tanjong Katong Technical School (now Tanjong Katong Secondary School ), and Victoria Junior College before going to college. Wong received

7120-471: Was confirmed on 23 January 2020. Early cases were primarily imported until local transmission began to develop. By late March, clusters were detected at multiple dormitories for foreign workers, which soon contributed to an overwhelming number of new cases in the country. In response, Lee announced on 3 April 2020 that Singapore would enter a limited lockdown with restrictions on movement. The policy, officially called " circuit breaker " in governmental parlance,

7209-474: Was elected into the PAP's Central Executive Committee for the first time after rising to prominence for leading the Government's fight against COVID-19. On 15 May 2021, following another Cabinet reshuffle , Wong relinquished his portfolio as Minister for Education and became Minister for Finance after Heng relinquished his Cabinet portfolio. On 28 May 2021, he was reappointed to the board of directors of

7298-508: Was enacted into law on 1 June 2006, which regulated the operations of the casino operators and provided social safeguards intended to deter problem gambling. In February 2006, Lee announced a S$ 2.6 billion Progress Package to distribute budget surpluses in the form of cash, top-ups to the Central Provident Fund , rental and utilities rebates, and educational funds. The cash bonuses were distributed in early May 2006. As

7387-512: Was intended to halt the disease's spread in the wider community. Workplaces were shut and all schools switched to home-based learning from 7 April to 1 June. Lee served as advisor to a multi-ministry level task force that had been set up in January, chaired by Minister for Education Lawrence Wong and Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong . Lee's government also contributed US$ 500,000 to support the World Health Organization . With

7476-434: Was made one of two deputy prime ministers, along with Ong Teng Cheong . He continued to serve as the minister for trade and industry until 1992, when he was diagnosed with lymphoma . He subsequently relinquished his ministerial position and underwent three months of chemotherapy , though he continued to be a deputy prime minister during his illness. The chemotherapy was successful, and his cancer has gone into remission. Lee

7565-475: Was selected as the leader of the PAP's fourth-generation (4G) team, succeeding Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat , who had stepped down as 4G leader on 8 April 2021. Prior to his appointment, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delegated former PAP chairman Khaw Boon Wan to initiate a consultation process among the fourth-generation ministers of the Cabinet , aimed at garnering their individual views regarding

7654-514: Was succeeded by Lawrence Wong , who formed a new cabinet and subsequently appointed Lee as a Senior Minister . Lee Hsien Loong was born at KK Women's and Children's Hospital in Singapore on 10 February 1952, during the time when Singapore was a British colony . He is the eldest child of Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo and the patriline grandson of a retired storekeeper-turned- salesman , Lee Chin Koon (1903–1995) and Chua Jim Neo (1905–1980),

7743-516: Was the beginning of the 1997 Asian financial crisis and his first assignment involved preparing a report on regional economies and their effects on Singapore. He described the experience by saying "nothing that I learned in school prepared me for such an assignment" and recounted having to learn on the job. Wong was posted to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in January 2002 and then the Ministry of Health (MOH) in July 2004, where he served as Director of Healthcare Finance until May 2005. Wong served as

7832-543: Was the co-chair of a multi-ministerial committee set up by the government in January 2020 to manage the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore . As Minister for Finance, he has overseen the gradual increase in Goods and Services Tax (GST) which Lee's government has advocated for – 8% in 2023 and 9% in 2024, up from 7% which had been set since 2007. In April 2022, he was chosen as the leader of the PAP's fourth generation team, placing him in line as Lee's apparent successor. Wong assumed

7921-494: Was widely seen as a setback for the ruling party, with the opposition Workers' Party capturing a second GRC. Pingat Pentadbiran Awam (Tentera) Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters PPA , and may include the grade in brackets - e.g.: PPA(E). The Pingat Pentadbiran Awam is the civil equivalent award. This Singapore-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to orders , decorations , and medals

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