Lee Kuan Yew, five others resign from PAP’s CEC

Former prime minister and co-founder of the People’s Action Party (PAP) Lee Kuan Yew has stepped down from the party’s central executive committee (CEC).

Alongside Senior Minister Emeritus Goh Chok Tong, former PAP chairman Lim Boon Heng, Wong Kan Seng, George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua, Lee’s resignation from the party was accepted by the CEC at a meeting on Wednesday.

They had "proposed to step down to facilitate leadership renewal in the party", said PAP's second organising secretary Ng Eng Hen in a statement posted on the party website.

To recognise the "outstanding service and seminal contributions" of Lee and Goh to the PAP and Singapore, both were conferred the title of Honorary Past Secretary-General, the party announced.

Party secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong thanked the six outgoing CEC members for their “selfless dedication and sterling service”, noting the key roles they had played in the party over the years, in particular the elder Lee and Goh, who “led Singapore’s progress and transformation through four decades”.

“Leadership renewal in the Party goes hand-in-hand with self-renewal among MPs and Ministers,” the younger Lee, who is Singapore's Prime Minister, added.

"The Party has much work ahead of it to strengthen its roots, extend its outreach, and convince a new generation of voters to support its ideals, vision, and programmes," he said. “This CEC change will enable the Party to induct younger members into the CEC, and form a team which can lead and prepare the PAP for the next general elections by 2016."

To replace the outgoing six CEC members, the party said it will pick new members through a poll of PAP branch chairmen, cadres representing PAP branches, district committees, the Women’s Wing and Young PAP. The selection process is expected to be complete by its convention in November.