Singapore’s transport minister Lui Tuck Yew, a familiar face among the country’s shipping industry, will step down from politics.
Lui, former chief executive of the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), has shocked the Singapore maritime industry advising prime minister Lee Hsien Loon that he will not be standing for re-election in the next Singapore general election.
Prime minister Lee said in Facebook post this afternoon: “Lui Tuck Yew has told me that he does not wish to stand again in the coming General Election, and I have reluctantly accepted his decision. He had told me this early this year. My senior colleagues and I tried hard to change his mind, and are disappointed that we did not succeed."
In the letter, Lui also thanked PM Lee for the "unstinting support" given to him and his ministry, and cited how spending on new buses and trains has started to ease congestion on public transport. The Downtown Line - to open within the next 24 to 30 months - will add capacity to the rail network, he added.
Lui's colleagues described him as a dedicated minister and MP, adding that he had contributed much to the Transport Ministry.
Political analysts yesterday were surprised not just by the announcement of Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew’s departure but also its timing, given that the polls could be just weeks away, says Today Online.
Given the People’s Action Party’s reputation for meticulous planning and leaving few things to chance, the move to make public Mr Lui’s decision to step down before the polls must have been carefully thought through, the analysts added. They were, however, divided on whether it would benefit the ruling party at the polls.
Lui has a strong history with Singapore's maritime community, having begun his career with Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), rising to Chief of Navy in 1999.
In 2003 he was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) before moving in politics in 2006.