Senior positions

Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore
In office 20 August 2004 – 30 April 2011
Preceded by	Lee Hsien Loong
Succeeded by	Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Ministerial offices

Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
In office 2 January 1985 – 28 November 1990 Serving with Ong Teng Cheong
Preceded by	Goh Keng Swee S. Rajaratnam
Succeeded by	Lee Hsien Loong Tony Tan
Minister for Defence
In office 1 June 1982 – 30 June 1991
Preceded by	Howe Yoon Chong
Succeeded by	Yeo Ning Hong
Minister for Health
In office 6 January 1981 – 31 May 1982
Preceded by	Toh Chin Chye
Succeeded by	Howe Yoon Chong
Minister for Trade and Industry
In office 15 March 1979 – 31 May 1981
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Tony Tan

Personal details

Born

Goh Chok Tong

20 May 1941 (age 84)
Singapore, Strait Settlements

Political party

People's Action Party

Spouse

Tan Choo Leng

(m. 1965)

Children

Alma mater

University of Singapore (BA)
Williams College (MA)

Signature

Chinese name

Traditional Chinese

吳作棟

Simplified Chinese

吴作栋

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Wú Zuòdòng
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization	Ngh Jok-dung
Jyutping	Ng⁴ Zok³ Dung⁶
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ	Gô͘ Chok-tòng

Goh Chok Tong (born 20 May 1941) is a former politician from Singapore. He served as the second Prime Minister of Singapore from 1990 to 2004. After that, he was a Senior Minister from 2004 to 2011.

He was also the leader of the People's Action Party (PAP) from 1992 to 2004. For many years, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade SMC and later Marine Parade GRC, from 1976 to 2020.

Before becoming Prime Minister, he was the Deputy Prime Minister. During this time, he helped create important programs. One was Medisave, a savings plan for future medical costs. Another was the Edusave Awards, which rewarded students for good grades or character. This helped ensure that hard work and talent were recognized.

As Prime Minister, Goh introduced new political ideas. These included allowing more opposition voices in Parliament. He also made sure that minority groups were represented. He also introduced the Vehicle Quota Scheme to control the number of cars in Singapore.

On 12 August 2004, Lee Hsien Loong took over as Prime Minister. Goh then became a Senior Minister and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). He retired from the Cabinet in 2011 and was given the special title "Emeritus Senior Minister". He fully retired from politics in 2020.

Early Life and Education
Career Beginnings
Political Journey
Honours and Awards
Personal Life
Legacy
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Goh Chok Tong was born in Singapore on 20 May 1941. His parents, Goh Kah Choon and Quah Kwee Hwa, came from the Minnan region in China. His family has Chinese Hokkien roots.

He went to Raffles Institution from 1955 to 1960. When he was younger, he was a very good swimmer and was even nicknamed "Bold".

Goh studied economics at the University of Singapore. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with top honors. Later, he got a Master of Arts degree in development economics from Williams College in 1967.

After finishing his studies, Goh returned to Singapore to work for the government. In 2015, the National University of Singapore gave him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. This was to recognize his important contributions to the country.

Career Beginnings

In 1969, Goh started working at Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), a national shipping company. He quickly moved up the ranks. By 1973, he was the Managing Director. He worked closely with the company's founder, Muhammad Jalaluddin Sayeed.

Political Journey

In 1976, at 35 years old, Goh was elected as a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade SMC. He was a candidate for the People's Action Party (PAP). He became a Senior Minister of State. Later, he was promoted to Minister for Trade and Industry in 1981. He also served as Minister for Health and Minister for Defence.

In 1985, Goh became Deputy Prime Minister. He started taking on more responsibility in the government. The leaders of the PAP chose him to be the next Prime Minister. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, agreed with their choice.

Becoming Prime Minister

On 28 November 1990, Goh Chok Tong became the second Prime Minister of Singapore. He took over from Lee Kuan Yew. Lee Kuan Yew remained an important advisor in Goh's government.

In 1991, Singapore held its first general election with Goh as Prime Minister. The PAP won, but with a lower percentage of votes than usual. This led to some rumors about his position, but Goh stayed on. In 1992, Lee Kuan Yew handed over the leadership of the PAP to Goh. This completed the smooth change in leadership.

During his time as Prime Minister, Goh promised a more open and listening style of leadership. He wanted to hear more ideas from different people.

Goh's government introduced several important policies and ideas:

Medisave: A savings plan for healthcare costs.
Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMP): Allows more opposition members into Parliament.
Group Representation Constituency (GRC): Ensures that minority groups are represented in Parliament.
Nominated Members of Parliament (NMP): Brings independent voices into Parliament.
Vehicle Quota Scheme: Controls the number of vehicles in Singapore.
Elected President: Changed how the President of Singapore is chosen, allowing citizens to vote.

Goh Chok Tong shaking hands with President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev (right) in 1996.

During Goh's time as Prime Minister, Singapore faced several challenges. These included the hijacking of a Singapore Airlines plane in 1991. There was also the 1997 Asian financial crisis and threats of terrorism in 2001. The 2003 SARS outbreak also caused difficulties.

Goh worked to improve Singapore's relationships with other countries. He helped secure a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States in 2003. This was a very important agreement for Singapore's economy.

As the leader of the PAP, Goh led the party to win three general elections: in 1991, 1997, and 2001. After the 2001 election, he said he would step down as Prime Minister once the economy recovered.

Goh Chok Tong in 2001.

Senior Minister Role

In October 2003, Goh announced he would step down as Prime Minister. On 12 August 2004, he became a Senior Minister in the Cabinet of the new Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong. He also became Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

As Senior Minister, Goh visited many countries. He met with leaders in the Middle East to improve diplomatic ties and create business opportunities for Singapore.

On 1 February 2005, Australia honored him with the title "Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia". This was for his excellent work in strengthening relations between Australia and Singapore.

In 2006, Goh was considered for the job of United Nations Secretary-General. He was also invited to join the InterAction Council of Former Heads of State and Government, a group of former world leaders.

Goh Chok Tong speaking at a rally at Potong Pasir during the 2006 general election. The banner behind him shows the campaign manifesto of the People's Action Party, "Staying Together, Moving Ahead".

Emeritus Senior Minister

After the 2011 general election, Goh and Lee Kuan Yew announced they would retire from the Cabinet. This was to allow Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his team to make a fresh start.

On 18 May 2011, Goh was appointed a senior advisor to the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He was also given the honorary title of "Emeritus Senior Minister".

On 24 June 2011, the Japanese government awarded him the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. In 2012, he became a Patron for Advancement of the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

In 2018, his first official biography, Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story, was published. It covers his life up to becoming Prime Minister in 1990. A second book, Standing Tall: The Goh Chok Tong Years, was released in 2021. This book focuses on his 14 years as Prime Minister.

On 25 June 2020, Goh announced his retirement as a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC. He had served for 44 years and officially retired from politics.

Honours and Awards

Malaysia:
- Johor: Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor (1991)
Australia: Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia (2005)
Japan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2011)

Personal Life

Goh Chok Tong is married to Tan Choo Leng. They have a son and a daughter, who are twins. Their son, Goh Jin Hian, is a doctor. Their daughter, Goh Jin Theng, lives in London.

In his biography, Goh shared that he does not follow a specific religion. He was raised with traditional Chinese customs and practices ancestor worship. His wife is a Tibetan Buddhist, and both of his children are Methodist Christians.

In December 2020, Goh announced that he was undergoing treatment for cancer. He has faced some health issues in recent years. In 2021, he shared that he hopes to live until at least 93 years old.

Legacy

Goh Chok Tong served as Prime Minister between two important leaders: Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong. Because of this, he is sometimes jokingly called part of the "father, son, and the holy Goh" in Singaporean political jokes.

In October 2014, the Madame Tussauds Singapore museum created a wax figure of Goh. He even posed for pictures with his statue at its opening.

The Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards, which help people with disabilities, are named after him.

Images for kids

Goh Chok Tong's signature

Goh Chok Tong facts for kids

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