Minister Mentor was a position in the Cabinet of Singapore created in 2004 as part of a transition in political leadership. The only person to hold the post, between 2004 and 2011, was Lee Kuan Yew .
97-514: On 12 August 2004, when Lee Hsien Loong succeeded Goh Chok Tong as the prime minister of Singapore , he announced the position of Minister Mentor, as part of a transition of political leadership, when naming his Cabinet . Prior to Lee Kuan Yew's appointment as Minister Mentor, he was Senior Minister between 1990 and 2004 under Goh Chok Tong's Cabinet . Goh was subsequently appointed Senior Minister under Lee Hsien Loong's Cabinet when he stepped down as prime minister. On 14 May 2011, following
194-701: 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
291-579: A member of parliament (MP) for Teck Ghee since 1984, initially as Teck Ghee SMC from 1984 to 1991 and as 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
388-597: A 1 hectare roof terrace, Sands SkyPark. The observation deck provides panoramic views across the bay. In front of the three towers, they include the Theatre Block for performances , the Convention and Exhibition Facilities Block, as well as the Casino Block, which has 1,000 gaming tables and 1,400 slot machines. To enter the casino, Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs) have to pay a SGD$ 150 fee for
485-563: A 15,000-seat arena. As the development of Marina Bay Sands was perceived as critical in Singapore's urbanization efforts, a fixed price was set for the land. This was a departure from the government auctioning off the land to the highest bidder. Bidders were instead assessed holistically on factors such as the design of the Marina Bay Sands and the amenities it would offer. The resort is designed by Moshe Safdie , who says it
582-504: A case of attempted murder. Several male gangsters of the criminal group Wo Hop To , were put in jail for that case. Witnesses testified that the mastermind was Mr Cheung Chi-tai, who operates a VIP room related to the murder attempt in the casino of Sands Macau. Mr Cheung is also a leader of the same criminal group. Opposition parties, such as the National Solidarity Party , and media commentators, raised concerns about
679-436: A convention centre with 110,000 m (1,200,000 sq ft) of space, capable of accommodating up to 45,000 people. The resort's architecture and major design changes along the way were also approved by its feng shui consultants, the late Chong Swan Lek and Louisa Ong-Lee. Aedas were responsible for employing all consultants and for developing, co-ordinating and implementing the design. The structural engineering for
776-425: A data leak of some 665,000 members of a shopper's rewards program . Marina Bay Sands reported that Members' personal information were accessed by an unknown third party operator. While there have not been reports of the leaked information being used to cause harm, personal information such as members' names, e-mail addresses, or phone numbers could be used against them in phishing and other scam campaigns. The incident
873-736: 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
970-877: A first-class master's in computer science). He served in 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
1067-481: 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
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#17327660022671164-473: 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
1261-410: A one time entry and a S$ 2000 fee for an annual pass. The fee was changed on 4 April 2019 to SGD$ 150 for a one-time visit and S$ 3000 for yearly visits. The ArtScience Museum is constructed next to the three blocks and has the shape of a lotus . Its roof is retractable, providing a waterfall through the roof of collected rainwater when closed in the day and laser shows when opened at night. In front of
1358-415: A performance by Michelle Kwan on 18 December. The ArtScience Museum opened to the public and the debut of a 13-minute light, laser and water show called Wonder Full on 19 February 2011 marked the full completion of the integrated resort. The opening of Marina Bay Sands was held on 17 February 2011. It also marked the opening of the seven celebrity chef restaurants. The last portion of the Marina Bay Sands,
1455-401: 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
1552-673: A public observatory deck on the cantilever with 360-degree views of the Singapore skyline. The SkyPark is accessible only to hotel guests for security reasons. The Shoppes is the main shopping mall at Marina Bay Sands, with close to 93,000 m (1,000,000 sq ft) of retail space with over 300 stores and F&B outlets, featuring boutiques such as Ralph Lauren , Chanel , Cartier , Prada , Gucci , Hermès , Emporio Armani , Chopard , Valentino , Dior , Dunhill , Vertu , Miu Miu , Saint Laurent Paris , Salvatore Ferragamo , Montblanc , Blancpain , Vera Wang Bride , an Hermès watch boutique, and Herve Leger . A canal runs through
1649-834: 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
1746-529: A segment of the Shoppes, 963 hotel rooms and the event plaza were opened at the auspicious time of 3:18 p.m as part of the "preview opening". The Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) held the first conference at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre on 2–5 May 2010, but the event was marred by uncompleted facilities and power failure during a speech. IPBA withheld payment of S$ 300,000 and was consequently sued by Marina Bay Sands. In June IPBA counter-sued, describing
1843-427: 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
1940-475: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lee Hsien Loong 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
2037-827: Is a nighttime multimedia show displayed by Marina Bay Sands. It is designed by the Australian multimedia company Laservision and incorporated various Laservision technology such as the Stella Ray. The show starts off with a single drop of water, representing the birth of life. It later stages through important stages of a person's life such as childhood, development through age and adulthood. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Public buses Water taxi In 2010, about one month before Marina Bay Sands opened, Reuters reported that Marina Bay Sands had links with Hong Kong criminal organizations operating in Macau, according to court documents of
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#17327660022672134-504: Is connected to the portion of the boutique in the Shoppes via an underwater tunnel. Both Pavilions opened in 2011 just before the 2011 Formula One season came to the Marina Bay Street Circuit . The Pavilion vacant by Avalon and Pangaea will be taken over by Singapore's third Apple Store , Apple Marina Bay Sands, in 2020. Their third store in Singapore feature the company's first store that sits on water and one that
2231-572: Is of spherical design. The Sands Theatre seats 2,155 people, and has hosted shows such as The Lion King, Cirque Éloize , A. R. Rahman 's Jai Ho , and Wicked . Next to the theatre is a skating rink (synthetic ice) measuring 600 m (6,500 sq ft). Moshe Safdie designed an Art Path within the resort, incorporating installations by five artists including Zheng Chongbin, Antony Gormley and Sol LeWitt . The pieces are meant to play on environmental influences including light, water and wind, integrating art with architecture. Wonder Full
2328-635: Is one of two winning proposals for Singapore's first integrated resorts, the other being the Resorts World Sentosa , which incorporates a family-friendly Universal Studios Theme Park ( Universal Studios Singapore ). The two large-scale resorts were conceived to meet Singapore 's economic and tourism objectives for the next decade and will have 30-year casino licenses, exclusive for the first ten years. Bidders were assessed based on four criteria: tourism appeal and contribution, architectural concept and design, development investment, and strength of
2425-586: 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
2522-486: 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
2619-701: 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
2716-650: 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
2813-721: 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
2910-471: 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
3007-427: The Singapore government . However, Kwek was retained as an advisor for Sands' bid. Las Vegas Sands initially committed to invest S$ 3.85 billion in the project, not including the fixed S$ 1.2 billion cost of the 6,000,000 square feet (560,000 m ) site itself. With the escalating costs of materials, such as sand and steel, and labour shortages owing to other major infrastructure and property development in
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3104-531: The general election that took place seven days earlier, Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong announced their retirement from the Cabinet, but continued to serve as Members of Parliament (MPs) on the backbenches until Lee's death in 2015 and Goh's retirement from politics in 2020 respectively. This article about politics in Asia is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Singapore-related article
3201-881: The Event Plaza is Wonder Full , a light and water show that is the largest in Southeast Asia and was produced by Laservision . In 2024, a nightly, 15-minute light and water show shown named Spectra was shown instead. The ArtScience Museum and Wonder Full show opened on 17 February 2011. The SkyPark has the world's longest elevated swimming pool, with a 146-metre (479 ft) vanishing edge (a concept called an infinity pool ) located 191 metres (627 ft) above ground. The pools are made up of 422,000 pounds (191,000 kg) of stainless steel and can hold 376,500 US gallons (1,425 cubic metres) of water. The SkyPark also has rooftop nightclubs such as Lavo (New York, Vegas) and Cé La Vi, gardens, hundreds of trees and plants, and
3298-530: 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
3395-733: 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
3492-690: 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
3589-461: 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
3686-570: The Shoppes used to contain an ice skating rink, which used artificial ice . In 2017, it was replaced with a digital art exhibit. There are two Crystal Pavilions. Despite a brief legal dispute in June 2011, it was decided that one of the Pavilions will house two nightclubs—Avalon and Pangaea. The second Pavilion houses the world's largest Louis Vuitton boutique, in addition to being on a floating island, at 1,900 m (20,000 sq ft), which
3783-455: 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
3880-462: The SkyPark was pre-fabricated off-site in 14 separate steel sections and then assembled on top of the towers. There are four movement joints beneath the main pools, designed to help them withstand the natural motion of the towers, and each joint has a unique range of motion. The total range of motion is 500 millimetres (20 inches). In addition to wind, the hotel towers are also subject to settlement in
3977-491: The Winners" and "Mystery Car Jackpot", and included the names of the jackpot winners, which machines they had used, and the amount of their winnings. Although it had previously stated that it had operated in accordance with applicable law, the casino subsequently took down the relevant web pages and said it would stop such future publicity. In late 2011, Marina Bay Sands had a dispute with Madam Choo Hong Eng, on whether she
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4074-698: 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
4171-456: 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
4268-532: The cabinet as part of 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
4365-444: 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
4462-409: The company to open it in phases. The first phase's preview opening was further delayed until 27 April 2010, and the official opening was pushed back to 23 June 2010. The rest of the complex remained under construction and was opened after a grand opening on 17 February 2011. On 27 April 2010, Marina Bay Sands had the first of a planned 3 to 4 phase openings. The casino, parts of the conference hall,
4559-601: The consortium and partners. On 27 May 2006, Las Vegas Sands (LVS) was declared the winner with its business-oriented resort. LVS submitted its winning bid on its own. Its original partner City Developments Limited (CDL), with a proposed 15% equity stake, pulled out of the partnership in the second phase of the tender process. CDL's CEO, Kwek Leng Beng said his company's pullout was a combination of factors—such as difficulties in getting numerous companies he owns to comply in time, as well as reluctance of some parties to disclose certain private information in probity checks required by
4656-436: 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
4753-401: The country, Sheldon Adelson placed the total cost of the development at S$ 8.0 billion as of July 2009. Las Vegas Sands declared the undertaking as "one of the world's most challenging construction projects and certainly the most expensive stand-alone integrated resort property ever built". It expected the casino to generate at least $ 1 billion in annual profit . Two months after
4850-566: 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
4947-426: The earth over time, so engineers built and installed custom jack legs to allow for future adjustment at more than 500 points beneath the pool system. This jacking system is important primarily to ensure the infinity edge of the pool continues to function properly. Marina Bay Sands was originally planned to be completed in a single phase in 2009, but rising construction costs and the 2007–2008 financial crisis forced
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#17327660022675044-447: The economy, Marina Bay Sands was projected to stimulate an addition of $ 2.7 billion or 0.8% to Singapore's Gross Domestic Product by 2015, employing 10,000 people directly and 20,000 jobs being created in other industries. On 3 April 2019, Sands announced a $ 3.3 billion expansion of its Marina Bay Sands property in Singapore. The expansion will include the construction of a fourth hotel tower containing 1,000 luxury suites and
5141-446: 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
5238-481: The floating pavilions, were finally opened to the public when the two tenants, Louis Vuitton and Pangaea Club, opened on 18 and 22 September 2011, respectively. Marina Bay Sands is set to have a fourth tower constructed by 2028, at an estimated cost of S$ 4.5 billion (US$ 3.3 billion). The expansion plan was announced in early April of 2022, with the new tower containing 1000 hotel rooms and an adjoining concert venue with seating for 15,000 guests. Marina Bay Sands
5335-758: 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
5432-434: The full amount. The Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore censured the casino for failing to keep its machine operating properly, although it ultimately found that the casino had not intentionally sought to deceive Mdm Choo or deprive her of her prize. According to media reports, Mdm Choo subsequently donated her winnings to charities instead of keeping it for herself. In late October 2023, Marina Bay Sands reported
5529-481: 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
5626-470: 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
5723-466: 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
5820-399: The initial phased opening, the casino was attracting around 25,000 visitors daily, about a third being Singaporeans and permanent residents who paid a $ 150 daily entry levy or $ 3,000 for annual unlimited access. Half a million gamblers passed through the casino in June 2010. In the third quarter of 2012, the revenues of the Marina Bay Sands fell almost 28 per cent from a year earlier. For
5917-488: The integrated resort. Its owner decided to open the integrated resort in stages, and it was approved by the Singapore authorities. The resort and SkyPark were officially opened on 23 and 24 June 2010 as part of a two-day celebration, following the casino's opening on 27 April that year. The SkyPark opened the following day. The theatre was completed in time for the first performance of Riverdance on 30 November. The indoor skating rink, which uses artificial ice , opened to
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#17327660022676014-506: 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
6111-831: 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
6208-559: 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
6305-406: The legs of the tower while they were under construction, and required real-time monitoring for continual assessment and analyses in the course of their erection. A distinctive feature of the hotel is the SkyPark, a three-acre park on top of the building with swimming pools, gardens, and jogging paths. The structure bridges all three towers with a segment cantilevered off the north tower. The hull of
6402-668: The length of the Shoppes, in the same style as The Venetian in Las Vegas . Sampan rides on the canal are available for guests and shoppers at the shopping mall, similar to the gondola rides available in the Venetian. Also housed within the Shoppes are six of the ten Celebrity Chef restaurants—Bread Street Kitchen (by Gordon Ramsay ), Cut (by Wolfgang Puck ), Waku Ghin (by Tetsuya Wakuda ), Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza (by Mario Batali ), Long Chim (by David Thompson ) and DB Bistro & Oyster Bar (by Daniel Boulud ). The north side of
6499-636: The links with criminal organisations. In June 2020, it was reported that Marina Bay Sands was under investigation by the US Department of Justice over alleged breaches of anti-money laundering regulations. In 2011, Marina Bay Sands announced it would stop publicising details of winners and the amount of their winnings on its website. Then-Minister for Community Development, Youth, and Sports, Vivian Balakrishnan had earlier stated in Parliament that his ministry would take steps to stop such publicity. The web pages in question were titled "Celebrate With
6596-475: 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
6693-555: 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
6790-406: 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
6887-614: 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
6984-469: 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
7081-462: 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
7178-489: 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
7275-478: The project was handled by Arup with Parsons Brinckerhoff the MEP engineers. The main contractor was Ssangyong Engineering and Construction . The three towers are broader at the base and narrow as they rise. Each tower has two asymmetric legs, with a curved eastern leg leaning against the other, creating a significant technical challenge in its construction. Substantial temporary structures were necessary to support
7372-429: 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
7469-607: 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
7566-413: The rest of the hotel rooms. First day events included a "World Championship Climb" on the glass facade of the building to the SkyPark, with seven teams of 21 top rock climbers from around the world competing, and an evening concert for 4,000 invited guests and customers, featuring one international rapper such as Kelly Rowland and one national contemporary R&B such as Sylvia Ratonel . The SkyPark
7663-440: 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
7760-527: 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
7857-460: 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
7954-466: The venue as a "complete disaster" and that its earlier payments had been imposed by "duress, fear and force". An "amicable settlement" with undisclosed terms was announced in August. On 23 June 2010, the resort had its official opening with a "2-day celebration"; this includes the Sands SkyPark, the Event Plaza along Marina Bay , more shops, additional dining options and nightlife offerings, and
8051-463: 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
8148-496: The world's largest atrium casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines . The complex includes three towers topped by the Sands Skypark, a skyway connecting 340-metre-long (1,120 ft) with a capacity of 3,902 people and a 150 m (490 ft) infinity swimming pool , set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform, which overhangs the north tower by 66.5 m (218 ft). The 20-hectare resort
8245-403: 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
8342-711: 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
8439-471: 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,
8536-438: Was deemed the world's most expensive standalone casino property at S$ 8 billion (US$ 6.88 billion). The resort includes a 2,561-room hotel, a 120,000-square-metre (1,300,000 sq ft) convention-exhibition centre, the 74,000-square-metre (800,000 sq ft) The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall, a museum, a large theatre, "celebrity chef" restaurants, two floating crystal pavilions, art-science exhibits, and
8633-470: Was designed by Moshe Safdie . The resort is owned by Las Vegas Sands in agreement with the Singaporean authorities. Marina Bay Sands was originally set to open in 2009, but its construction faced delays caused by escalating costs of material and labour shortages from the outset exacerbated by the 2007–2008 financial crisis . This pressured Las Vegas Sands to delay its projects elsewhere to complete
8730-511: 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
8827-427: Was entitled to winnings which a slot machine had allegedly shown that she had won on 18 October 2011. The jackpot in question was SGD 416,721.12. A casino manager claimed that it was a machine error. During negotiations, the casino offered to give her a car which was worth SGD 258,962 instead. Mdm Choo appointed a lawyer to demand that Marina Bay Sands pay her the whole sum. Several days later, the casino agreed to pay her
8924-432: Was initially inspired by card decks. The prominent feature of the design is the three hotel towers, which has 2,500 rooms and suites, and a continuous lobby at the base links the three towers. The casino has a four-storey central atrium with four levels of gaming and entertainment in one space. In addition to the hotel and the casino, other buildings include a 19,000 m (200,000 sq ft) ArtScience Museum , and
9021-515: 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
9118-435: 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
9215-714: Was opened on the second day at 2 p.m., with about 2,000 adult tickets costing S$ 20 each sold. The Sands theatre was completed in time for the first performance by Riverdance on 30 November 2010. The ArtScience Museum opened its doors to the public at 10 am on 19 February 2011. The musical The Lion King made its debut on 3 March 2011. The floating pavilions were opened when the tenants Louis Vuitton and Pangaea Club finished their refurbishment and opened on 18 September 2011 and 22 September 2011, respectively. The Lion King ran its last show on 30 October 2011. Marina Bay Sands has three 55-storey hotel towers which were topped out in July 2009. The three towers are connected by
9312-517: 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),
9409-404: Was widely seen as a setback for the ruling party, with the opposition Workers' Party capturing a second GRC. Marina Bay Sands 1°16′57.54″N 103°51′30.30″E / 1.2826500°N 103.8584167°E / 1.2826500; 103.8584167 Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore and a landmark of the city. At its opening in 2010, it
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