This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

The title "Senior Minister" was also a title used in Canada, before "Deputy Prime Minister" was introduced in 1977.

Senior Minister (Simplified Chinese: 国务资政, previously called 内阁资政 before Aug 12 2004) is a political office in the political system of Singapore is taken by a prime minister or senior cabinet minister when he or she retires from that office, but still has something to offer the government based on his or her long experience. This, however, implies a reliance on a dominant-party system, and several opposition critics find this as evidence for contempt for the political opposition in Singapore.

The current Senior Ministers of Singapore are Goh Chok Tong, the second Prime Minister of Singapore and S Jayakumar, former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. This office has been held by Goh since August 12, 2004, and was formerly held by Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, from November 28, 1990, through August 12, 2004. Upon the appointment of Goh Chok Tong as Senior Minister, a new ministerial role in the form of Minister Mentor was created and assigned to Lee Kuan Yew. On 26 March 2009, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong announce that the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore S Jayakumar will relinquish his post as the DPM and appointed Senior Minister in the Prime Minister Office.

[edit] List of Senior Ministers of Singapore

Senior Minister	Start of Term	End of Term
S. Rajaratnam	1985	1988
Lee Kuan Yew	28 November 1990	12 August 2004
Goh Chok Tong	12 August 2004	In office
S Jayakumar	1 April 2009	In office

[edit] See also

• Prime Minister of Singapore
• People's Action Party
• Minister Mentor