SINGAPORE (AP) — Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will stay on in the government as senior minister after he steps down next month, his successor said Tuesday. Lee, 72, announced Monday that he will end his 20-year rule and hand over to his deputy Lawrence Wong on May 15. Lee is the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister who built the resource-poor city-state into one of the world’s richest nations during 31 years in office. Wong will be Singapore’s fourth leader since independence in 1965. The transition has been carefully crafted in the wealthy city-state known for its tight government control, media censorship and use of oppressive laws against dissidents. Wong, who is also finance minister, credited Lee for Singapore’s strong economic growth and said he was glad that he agreed to stay on as senior minister. former Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong had also served as senior ministers after stepping down. |
Solomon Islanders cast votes in an election that will shape relations with ChinaTaylor Swift teases The Tortured Poets Department album release week with Spotify messageApple CEO says company is 'looking at' manufacturing in IndonesiaMookie Betts ties career high with 5 hits as Dodgers beat Nationals 6Amy Schumer looks thinner in a TUN appeals for $2.8 billion to help 3 million Palestinians in desperate need of food and other aidChina's surveyed urban unemployment rate at 5.2 pct in Q1Stock market today: Asian benchmarks are mixed while US seems committed to current ratesFormer world champion runner Jeruto faces doping case hearing in June ahead of Paris OlympicsReynaldo López pitches 6 scoreless innings, Braves beat Astros 6