Singapore state founder and first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew on Saturday said he would step down as cabinet minister after his long-ruling People's Action Party (PAP) posted its worst election result in decades, DPA reported
Lee, 87, was prime minister from 1959 to 1990 and recently served as minister mentor in the cabinet of his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
In a joint statement with fellow former prime minister and current Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, 69, both said that they would quit their cabinet posts because "the time has come for a younger generation to carry Singapore forward in a more difficult and complex situation."
"After a watershed general election, we have decided to leave the cabinet and have a completely younger team of ministers to connect to and engage with this young generation in shaping the future of our Singapore," they said.
Both Lee and Goh won parliamentary seats in the May 7 election.
However, the PAP won 60.1 per cent of the votes, down from 66.6 per cent in the last election 2006 and 75 per cent in 2001, while the opposition in the tightly controlled city-state gained historic victories, winning a record six of 87 seats.
The outspoken Lee caused controversy while electioneering, warning voters in one district against supporting the opposition, saying they would regret their decision.
His son immediately said his generation of leaders had a different style. dpa kpo rpm Author: Kai Portmann