SINGAPORE: Former Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew has been appointed as Singapore's Ambassador to Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced on Thursday (Jun 1).
Mr Lui was Minister for Transport from 2011 to 2015 and concurrently Second Minister for Defence in 2015. He left politics after deciding not to stand for re-election in 2015.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at the time he would "reluctantly accept" Mr Lui's decision, and that Mr Lui had done "very good work as Minister for Transport".
However, Mr Lui acknowledged facing some "setbacks" during his time in office, which saw a series of MRT network disruptions, including a slew of breakdowns on the North-South Line in December 2011, as well as the simultaneous disruption of both the North-South and East-West Lines in July 2015.
He added that the 2015 General Election provided "an opportunity for (him) to step back from politics without causing any major disruption to Government at the end of its term".
Mr Lui entered Parliament in 2006 as a Member of Parliament in Tanjong Pagar GRC, helming Moulmein ward, which would in 2011 be absorbed into the newly formed Moulmein-Kallang GRC.
He was Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts from 2009 to 2011 and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2012.
He also served as Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts until 2009.
Prior to joining politics, Mr Lui was the Housing and Development Board's CEO from 2005 to 2006, and chief executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and concurrently Deputy Secretary (Land) in the Ministry of Transport from 2003 to 2005.
In 1999, Mr Lui was appointed Chief of Navy, a position he held till 2003.
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