Asia/Pacific News
Singapore's Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew to Step Down
Singapore Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew Tuesday said he is to step down form the role and will exit politics, having chosen not to stand for re-election in the next General Election, the Straits Times reports.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is understood to have reluctantly accepted the decision.
Lui has a strong history with Singapore's maritime community, having begun his career with Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), rising to Chief of Navy in 1999.
In 2003 he was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) before moving in politics in 2006.
"I have put my utmost into fulfilling my responsibilities," Lui said in a letter to PM Lee released Tuesday.
"I thank you for letting me know your intention to re-appoint me as a Cabinet Minister, if I was to be re-elected at the coming General Election."
"But the General Election also provides an opportunity for me to step back from politics without causing any major disruption to Government at the end of its term. You are also bringing in new potential office holders to strengthen Cabinet."
In a response also released Tuesday, PM Lee thanked Lui for his "very good work" as Transport Minister.
"When I asked you to helm the Ministry in 2011, we both knew that you had a very difficult job, but you did not hesitate to take up the challenge," said PM Lee.
"You put your heart and soul into the task. As a result, we made significant progress over the last four years."
Under Lui's watch, Singapore has not only maintained its status as the world's biggest bunkering port, but seen its best ever years in terms of sales volume with a record 43.1 million metric tonnes (mt) sold in 2011, and around 42 million mt per year sold over the last three years.
This compares to an average of 36 million mt in annual sales during the preceding four year period from 2007 to 2010.
Lui's tenure has also see the historic introduction of new rules over the mandatory use of mass flow metering (MFM) systems for Marine Fuel Oil (MFO) bunkering in Singapore from January 1, 2017, the first port in the world to make such a move.
Last year at SIBCON 2014 Lui also announced that Singapore will move to provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering by 2020.
