Political Leaders: Singapore

Leaders of Singapore
(Republic of Singapore)

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Party: PAP: People's Action Party

Heads of State

Heads of State (Yang di-Pertuan Negara) William Goode 3 Jun 1959 - 3 Dec 1959 (†1986) n/p Yusof bin Ishak 3 Dec 1959 - 22 Dec 1965 (†1970) n/p (under British sovereignty to 31 Aug 1963) Presidents of the Republic Yusof bin Ishak 22 Dec 1965 - 23 Nov 1970 (†1970) n/p (made retroactive to 9 Aug 1965) Yeoh Ghim Seng 23 Nov 1970 - 2 Jan 1971 (†1993) PAP (acting) Benjamin Henry Sheares 2 Jan 1971 - 12 May 1981 (†1981) PAP Yeoh Ghim Seng 12 May 1981 - 24 Oct 1981 (†1993) PAP (acting) Chengara Veetil Devan Nair 24 Oct 1981 - 27 Mar 1985 (†2005) PAP Wee Chong Jin 27 Mar 1985 - 29 Mar 1985 (†2005) PAP (acting) Yeoh Ghim Seng 29 Mar 1985 - 3 Sep 1985 (†1993) PAP (acting) Wee Kim Wee 3 Sep 1985 - 1 Sep 1993 (†2005) PAP Ong Teng Cheong 1 Sep 1993 - 1 Sep 1999 (†2002) PAP Sellapan Ramanathan Nathan 1 Sep 1999 - 1 Sep 2011 (†2016) PAP Tony Tan Keng Yam 1 Sep 2011 - 1 Sep 2017 PAP Joseph Yuvaraj Pillay 1 Sep 2017 - 14 Sep 2017 n/p (acting) Halimah Yacob 14 Sep 2017 - 14 Sep 2023 PAP, n/p Tharman Shanmugaratnam 14 Sep 2023 - PAP, n/p

Note: Yusof bin Ishak ruled as head (yang di-pertuan negara) of the independent State of Singapore from 31 Aug 1963 to 16 Sep 1963. Singapore was part of the Federation of Malaysia from 16 Sep 1963 to 9 Aug 1965, when the independent State of Singapore was restored, but Yusof retained the title of yang di-pertuan negara in this period. The Republic of Singapore was established on 22 Dec 1965 and Yusof was made president, retroactive to 9 Aug 1965.

Prime Ministers

Lee Kuan Yew            5 Jun 1959 - 28 Nov 1990 (†2015) PAP
Goh Chok Tong          28 Nov 1990 - 12 Aug 2004         PAP  
Lee Hsien Loong        12 Aug 2004 -                     PAP

Senior Ministers

Sinnathamby Rajaratnam  2 Jan 1985 -  3 Sep 1988 (†2006) PAP
Lee Kuan Yew           28 Nov 1990 - 12 Aug 2004 (†2015) PAP  
Goh Chok Tong          12 Aug 2004 - 21 May 2011         PAP
Shunmugam Jayakumar     1 Apr 2009 - 21 May 2011         PAP
Teo Chee Hean           1 May 2019 -                     PAP
Tharman Shanmugaratnam  1 May 2019 -                     PAP

Leaders of PAP

General Secretaries
Lee Kuan Yew           1954-1957 (†2015)
Thampore Thamby Rajah  1957      (†1996)
Lee Kuan Yew           1957-1992 (†2015)
Goh Chok Tong          1992-2004     
Lee Hsien Loong        2014-     

Chairmen
Toh Chin Chye          1954-1981 (†2012)
Ong Teng Cheong        1981-1993 (†2002)
Tony Tan Keng Yam      1993-2004
Lim Boon Heng          2004-2011
Khaw Boon Wan          2011-2018
Gan Kim Yong           2018-

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