Lee Hsien Loong (born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician who is currently serving as the Senior Minister of Singapore. He had served as the Prime Minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2024. He is a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Teck Ghee division of Ang Mio Kio Group Member Constituency. He is a member of the People's Action Party (PAP), and he is serving as the Secretary-General of it.
Lee was born in 1952 at Kandang Kerbau Hospital (presently known as KK Women's and Children's Hospital).[1][2] He is the first child of Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo. Lee Kuan Yew, was the first Prime Minister of Singapore.
Lee studied mathematics and computer science at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1974 and a Master of Public Administration degree at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1980.
Lee joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1971 and left in 1984. He had the role of brigadier-general.
After leaving the SAF in 1984, he entered politics during the 1984 general elections. In 1987, he became a full member of the Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Industry and Second Minister for Defence. In 1990, Lee Hsien Loong was made a deputy prime minister.
In August 2004, Goh Chok Tong stepped down as Prime Minister, and Lee Hsien Loong took over the position. He then became the General Secretary of People's Action Party (PAP).
Background and education
On his grandmother (father's side), Chua Jim Neo is a Hokkien Nyonya. His mother's ancestors are from Tong'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, China. He studied at Nanyang Primary School, Catholic High School and National Junior College.
In 1971, Lee joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Lee was promoted to very high rank quickly in the Singapore Army. In July 1983, he became the youngest Brigadier General in Singapore. He left SAF in 1984.[3]
Early political life
In the 1980s, Lee Kuan Yew said he will step down as Prime Minister in 1984. Lee Hsien Loong was considered in the list of new leaders in PAP.
In 1984, at 32, He was elected an MP. His father immediately assigned him as a Minister of State for some ministries.
In 1987, he joined in the Cabinet as the Minister for Trade and Industry and Second Minister for Defence.
Salary
From 2008 to 2012, Lee's salary was S$3.87 million every year.[4] He had a salary increase of 25%, it was originally S$3,091,200.[5]
In January 2012, his salary was reduced to S$2.2 million due to the public having complained then about his unfair salary. [6][7][8] But, he is still the prime minister with the highest salary in the world.[9]
Personal life
- Wong Ming Yang, Lee's first wife is a Malaysian-born doctor who was married in 1978. He has two children - Li Xiuqi and Li Yipeng. Three weeks after giving birth to Lee's first son, Li Yipeng, an albino, she died of heart attack on 28 October 1982, at 31 years old.[10]
- While married to Ho Ching once again, a civil servant who went on to become CEO of Temasek Holdings in 1985, Lee Hsien Loong has another two more sons - Li Hongyi and Li Haoyi.
- Ho Ching's first son, Li Hongyi, won the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Math & Science in 2006. Also in 2006, he became an officer of SAF.
- Lee Hsien Loong has been diagnosed with lymphoma in 1992, and subsequently prostate cancer in February 2018.
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