The succession to Lee was clear: after handing over the premiership in 1990 (at the surprisingly young age of 66) to a trusted associate, Goh Chok Tong, he groomed his eldest son, Brigadier-General Lee Hsien Loong, for the job. After serving as Singapore’s trade minister, finance minister, and deputy prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong took over the top post in 2004.
李光耀的继承人非常明确：在20世纪90年代（年仅66岁）将总理宝座交给值得信赖的同事吴作栋后，李光耀全力培养自己的长子准将李显龙。在历任新加坡贸易部长、财政部长和副总理后，李显龙于2004年登上了总理宝座。之后传位给谁、怎么传位尚不明确。