Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Goh Chok Tong

Role / Field:

Singaporean politician who served as Prime Minister from 1990 to 2004.

Born:

1941-05-20

Century / Era:

1941s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Goh Chok Tong (born 20 May 1941), also known by his initials GCT, is a Singaporean retired politician who served as the second prime minister of Singapore from 1990 to 2004 and as a senior minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2011. He served as the secretary-general of the People's Action Party (PAP) from 1992 to 2004 and was the member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade Single Member Constituency from 1976 to 1988, and Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency from 1988 to 2020. Prior to his appointment as prime minister, he was the country's deputy prime minister, where he advocated for the Medisave, a savings scheme that allows Singaporeans to set aside part of their income into a Medisave account to meet future medical expenses. Goh also advocated for the Edusave Awards, a monetary reward for students who did well in school based on either their academic achievements or character to enshrine meritocracy.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Shortly before and during his tenure as prime minister, Goh proposed political reforms like the introduction of Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMP), to allow more opposition into Parliament, Group Representation Constituencies (GRC), to make sure that minorities...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adam Kuper — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Influential British social anthropologist known for research in Southern Africa.
• Adnan Khayr Allah — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Iraqi military officer and Minister of Defense, closely associated with the Ba'ath regime.
• Alan Mullery — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Iconic English footballer and manager known for his time at Fulham and Spurs.
• Allan Nevins — Shared historical date (05-20 · Born) (1890): Pioneering American historian known for Civil War studies and business history.
• Andrew Scheer — Shared historical date (05-20 · Born) (1979): Canadian politician, former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
• Aldrich Ames — Historical peer (Born in 1941) (1941): American CIA analyst and notorious Soviet spy convicted of espionage.
• Alex Ferguson — Historical peer (Born in 1941) (1941): Legendary Scottish football manager, most famous for his unparalleled success with Manchester United.
• A. J. P. Taylor — Historical peer (Died in 1990) (1990): Influential English historian specializing in 19th and 20th-century European diplomacy.
• Aaron Copland — Historical peer (Died in 1990) (1990): Pioneering American composer, conductor, and critic, known as the "Dean of American Music".
• A. A. K. Niazi — Historical peer (Died in 2004) (2004): Pakistani general who commanded Eastern Command during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
• 1941 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1941
• May 20 (05-20) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 20

Frequently Asked Questions about Goh Chok Tong