He will soon hand the reins to his deputy Lawrence Wong at a time of looming domestic challenges and a rapidly changing world order
When Lee Hsien Loong was sworn in as Singapore’s third Prime Minister in 2004, he set his sights on creating a dynamic and competitive economy to provide good jobs and improve the lives of Singaporeans. His vision was clear from his inauguration speech: “Without the resources that come from growth, we cannot achieve much,” he said, emphasizing that prosperity was not the sole goal of his leadership, and economic growth was not an end in itself.
These principles guided Lee’s leadership throughout his tenure, shaping the policies that transformed Singapore into the modern, thriving economy it is today. Under his leadership, Singapore evolved to navigate global challenges while maintaining steady economic progress. As Lee prepares to hand over leadership to his deputy, Lawrence Wong, he leaves behind a legacy of a robust economy, poised to face the new and pressing challenges of a rapidly changing world order.
