SINGAPORE: Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, said she will not contest the next General Election in 2016.
She said she will leave it to someone younger as she will be 57 years old.
Speaking at a media conference Wednesday morning, Mrs Lim, who is also the Second Minister for Finance and Transport, said she has served almost 15 years and that's a "reasonable" stretch.
Mrs Lim said she was also surprised by the depth of resentment felt by citizens towards the government, which surfaced during the campaign.
And while the PAP team was expecting a close fight in Aljunied GRC, Mrs Lim said she was still surprised by the outcome.
She also told the media that the transformation of the ruling People's Action Party must not just be in words but in substance as well.
Mrs Lim says Singaporeans now feel that the PAP is not listening to their opinions and is making policies without their considerations in mind.
"The party continues to make policies, and using its own intellect and reasoning and sometimes does not seem to listen and occasionally seems to be arrogant and not wanting to listen even when views are offered" is how Mrs Lim described the sentiment she'd perceived from some Singaporeans.
Going forward, Mrs Lim said she belives "the party has to make sure it has a response to each of these source of unhappiness.
"I say it should be the origin of transformation."
On a personal note, Mrs Lim said she plans to take a break over the next few months.
She also doesn't rule out the possibility of returning to the finance sector.
When asked if she may return to Temasek Holdings where she was former a Managing Director, Mrs Lim says she won't rule anything out.
On Tuesday, fellow Aljunied GRC team member, Mr George Yeo also announced his exit from politics.
In the contest for Aljunied GRC in the 2011 General Election, the opposition Workers' Party won 54.71 per cent of the votes, leaving the People's Action Party (PAP) with 45.29 per cent.
- CNA/cc/sf
She said she will leave it to someone younger as she will be 57 years old.
Speaking at a media conference Wednesday morning, Mrs Lim, who is also the Second Minister for Finance and Transport, said she has served almost 15 years and that's a "reasonable" stretch.
Mrs Lim said she was also surprised by the depth of resentment felt by citizens towards the government, which surfaced during the campaign.
And while the PAP team was expecting a close fight in Aljunied GRC, Mrs Lim said she was still surprised by the outcome.
She also told the media that the transformation of the ruling People's Action Party must not just be in words but in substance as well.
Mrs Lim says Singaporeans now feel that the PAP is not listening to their opinions and is making policies without their considerations in mind.
"The party continues to make policies, and using its own intellect and reasoning and sometimes does not seem to listen and occasionally seems to be arrogant and not wanting to listen even when views are offered" is how Mrs Lim described the sentiment she'd perceived from some Singaporeans.
Going forward, Mrs Lim said she belives "the party has to make sure it has a response to each of these source of unhappiness.
"I say it should be the origin of transformation."
On a personal note, Mrs Lim said she plans to take a break over the next few months.
She also doesn't rule out the possibility of returning to the finance sector.
When asked if she may return to Temasek Holdings where she was former a Managing Director, Mrs Lim says she won't rule anything out.
On Tuesday, fellow Aljunied GRC team member, Mr George Yeo also announced his exit from politics.
In the contest for Aljunied GRC in the 2011 General Election, the opposition Workers' Party won 54.71 per cent of the votes, leaving the People's Action Party (PAP) with 45.29 per cent.
- CNA/cc/sf
