Goh Chok Tong

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Order:	2nd Prime Minister of Singapore
Term of Office:	November 26 1990–August 12 2004
Date of Birth:	May 20 1941
Place of Birth	Singapore
Wife	Tan Choo Leng
Occupation	Economist
Political Party:	PAP
Deputy Prime Minister	Lee Hsien Loong (1990–2004) Ong Teng Cheong (1990–1993) Tony Tan Keng Yam (1995–2004)

Goh Chok Tong (Chinese: 4\�; (Simp.) /吳作棟; (Trad.) Hanyu Pinyin: Wú Zuòdòng; Minnan Gô· Chok-tòng; born May 20 1941), was the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from November 26 1990 to August 12 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew. He served a total of fourteen years. He is currently Senior Minister of Singapore, and has been the secretary-general of the People's Action Party since 1992. He is also the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

[edit] Biography

Born into a Hokkien family, Goh previously studied in the Raffles Institution from 1955 to 1960. He is said to have been a very competitive swimmer.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in economics from the National University of Singapore, a Master of Arts in development economics from Williams College in the United States, and a Doctor of Law from the University of New South Wales in Australia.

Entering politics at the age of thirty-five, he was elected member of parliament for the Marine Parade GRC. He was appointed to the cabinet of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and served in many posts including Senior Minister of State for finance, Minister for Trade and Industry, and Minister Health and Defence.

In 1990 Lee resigned as Prime Minister and Goh was chosen to succeed him. Lee remained an influential member of his government, holding the post of Senior Minister.

Shortly before he stepped down as Prime Minister, and after a number of threats of Islamist terrorism in Singapore, Goh met local Islamic religious leaders in 2004, and made a visit to Iran, where he met the Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, and visited local mosques. The Straits Times speculated that this was meant to develop relationships between Singapore and Iran.

Goh subsequently visited other Middle-Eastern countries as Senior Minister, with a view to improving diplomatic relationships and thus gaining wider busines opportunities for Singaporean businessmen, especially in the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait.

Goh is married to Tan Choo Leng. They have a twin son and daughter. Their son, Goh Jin Hian, is a medical doctor at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.