ESM Goh asks Singaporeans: “Where are you marching?”

Singapore—After the dissolution of Parliament and the announcement of the date of the upcoming General Election, the country is gearing up for some major changes.

Political parties also seem to be preparing for some significant changes as well, with new faces introduced, and veteran politicians, such as Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, making their exits from public life.

Shortly after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong addressed the nation on Tuesday (June 23) about the coming election, Dr Yaacob took to Facebook saying that he was turning to “the next chapter” of his life.

Additionally, it seems that Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who celebrated his 79th birthday last month, may also be stepping down after over four decades of public service. After PM Lee’s speech, ESM Goh put up a cryptic yet poignant post on Facebook that read, “Parliament dissolved. Quo vadis, Singapore? Quo vadis, me? — gct”

Quo vadis is Latin for “”Where are you marching?,” or more colloquially, “Where are you going?” And the former Prime Minister seemed to be asking this question of the country, as well as of himself.

ESM Goh first served as a Member of Parliament representing Marine Parade, then a Single Member Constituency, in 1976, when he was only 35. He went on to serve as Senior Minister of State, Minister for Trade and Industry, Minister for Health, and Minister for Defence. Later he became Singapore’s first Deputy Prime Minister.

From 1990 through 2004 Mr Goh served as the country’s second Prime Minister, succeeding founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. When the current PM Lee succeed him, Mr Goh served as a Senior Minister in his cabinet, from 2004 to 2011. And after the 2011 election, both he and Lee Kuan Yew retired from the cabinet, and Mr Goh was appointed as senior adviser to the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and given the honorary title of “Emeritus Senior Minister.”

Many netizens thanked Mr Goh for his long years of service.

Others asked him “to stay on for another term” as an MP of Marine Parade.

Some commented that Mr Goh should stay on and mentor the country’s next leaders.

One netizen wondered if Mr Goh would contest in the West Coast GRC against Progress Singapore Party’s Dr Tan Cheng Bock.

Others asked him to stay on as Emeritus Senior Minister, to which netizens answered that he would, as “Emeritus” is an honorary title.

At least one netizen expressed the hope that the opposition will win in Marine Parade GRC.

-/TISG

Read also: With Yaacob Ibrahim’s political exit, observers say Josephine Teo or Indranee Rajah may lead PAP’s Jalan Besar slate

With Yaacob Ibrahim’s political exit, observers say Josephine Teo or Indranee Rajah may lead PAP’s Jalan Besar slate