Goh Chok Tong

Goh Chok Tong gō chôk tông [key], 1941–, prime minister of Singapore (1990–2004). After holding government and business positions, he was elected to Singapore's parliament in 1976 and served in the cabinet and People's Action party leadership from 1979. In 1985 he became minister of defense and deputy prime minister, and five years later he succeeded Lee Kuan Yew as prime minister. Less authoritarian than Lee, Goh saw Singapore through the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the turmoil attending the 2003–3 SARS outbreak. He was succeeded by Lee Hsien Loong, his predecessor's son, and served in the government as senior minister (2004–11) after resigning as prime minister.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Southeast Asia History: Biographies