[雙語]李光耀吳作棟宣布退出新加坡內閣

Singapore's first prime minister and its founding architect, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, said Saturday he will leave the government's cabinet to make way for a younger generation of leadership. The move follows a significant decline in support for the political party of the 87-year-old in the city-state's last general election. 
新加坡第一任總理及開國元老、現(xiàn)任內閣資政李光耀（Lee Kuan Yew）周六說，他將離開政府內閣以便讓更年輕的一代領導人接手。這位87歲前總理的政黨在前不久的大選中支持率大幅下滑。
   
Former prime minister Goh Chok Tong, 69, who served as the nation's leader from 1990 to 2004, also announced his decision to leave his cabinet post of senior minister, to which he was appointed after he stepped down as prime minister.
69歲的前總理吳作棟（Goh Chok Tong）也宣布決定辭去國務資政一職，他在1990年至2004年期間擔任新加坡總理，卸任后被任命為國務資政。
   
The moves -- which follow decades of service in influential positions by both men -- provide the latest sign of generational and political change in one of the world's most important financial centers, which has been dominated by Mr. Lee's People's Action Party since independence in 1965.
Reuters4月27日，新加坡內閣資政李光耀（Lee Kuan Yew）抵達一個選舉提名中心時向支持者揮手致意。身為現(xiàn)代新加坡開國元老的李光耀在上周末過后退出了內閣。在上周的大選中，他所在政黨的支持率出現(xiàn)下滑。二人都均任位高權重之職數(shù)十年。自1965年獨立以來，新加坡一直被李光耀的人民行動黨（People's Action Party）所主導。作為世界最重要金融中心之一的新加坡正在經歷更新?lián)Q代和政治變革，李光耀和吳作棟的離開是這種變化的最新跡象。
   
A week earlier, the PAP won 81 of 87 parliamentary seats in the city-state's latest poll, but it did so with its lowest share of the popular vote since Singapore became a nation -- 60.1%, compared with nearly 67% in the last poll in 2006. Two cabinet ministers -- Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua, minister in the prime minister's office and second minister for finance and transport -- were knocked from their seats by opposition Workers' Party candidates.
一周前，人民行動黨在最新一輪選舉中獲得了87個議會席位中的81席，但他們獲得的選票比例為60.1%，是新加坡建國以來的最低點，上一次在2006年的票選率為近67%。新加坡外交部長楊榮文（George Yeo）和總理公署部長兼財政部和交通部第二部長陳惠華(Lim Hwee Hua)的內閣席位輸給了反對黨工人黨（Workers' Party ）候選人。
   
It wasn't clear whether the latest moves would lead to other, more substantive changes in Singapore's government, or if the steps were intended as symbolic gestures aimed at placating voters who in recent years have grown more critical of Mr. Lee's policies and his sometimes-combative personality.
近幾年，李光耀的政策以及他時而強悍的性格招致選民越來越多的批評。不清楚二人離職的舉動是否會促使新加坡政府發(fā)生其他更實質性的變化，或是意在為平息選民情緒做出的象征性姿態(tài)。
   
Both men will remain members of parliament, representing their respective constituencies. In addition, Mr. Lee is chairman of Government of Singapore Investment Corp., one of the nation's two state investment firms. Mr. Goh is chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
二人都仍將是代表各自選區(qū)的議會成員。另外，李光耀還是新加坡政府投資公司（Government of Singapore Investment Corp.）董事主席，該公司是新加坡兩大國有投資公司之一。吳作棟是新加坡金融管理局（Monetary Authority of Singapore）主席。
   
Still, their decision to step down from Singapore's cabinet is 'a political milestone,' said Eugene Tan, assistant professor of law at Singapore Management University. 'It underlines that the PAP and government are not averse to change,' he said, adding he believes Mr. Lee's son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, will be more 'fully in charge' going forward.
新加坡管理大學（Singapore Management University）助理法學教授Eugene Tan說，不過，他們決定退出新加坡內閣的舉動是一個“政治里程碑”，突出表明人民行動黨和政府不反對改變。他還認為李光耀之子、現(xiàn)任總理李顯龍（Lee Hsien Loong）在未來將會進一步“全面負責”。
   
The decision to bring new blood into the cabinet 'does seem to indicate that Prime Minister Lee is seeking to establish in the public's mind a break from past leaderships,' said Garry Rodan, a fellow at the Asia Research Centre at Murdoch University in Australia. Nevertheless, the elder Mr. Lee could remain powerful, he said.
澳大利亞莫多克大學亞洲研究中心（Murdoch University Asia Research Centre）研究員羅丹（Garry Rodan）說，為內閣注入新鮮血液的決定似乎確實表明，李顯龍總理正力圖在公眾心目中確立要脫離過去領導力的印象。他說，不過李光耀可能仍有強大的權力。
   
'Not only will Minister Mentor Lee be an MP with considerable authority, he can still exercise a significant influence informally through the various networks of power within the state, which he helped craft,' he said. 'It remains to be seen whether this is an alternative to progress toward political liberalization, or the necessary precursor for it.'
他說，內閣資政李光耀不僅會成為具有相當大權力的議員，他依然還可通過國內各種各樣的權力網非正式地行使巨大的影響力；這是走近政治自由化的一個選擇還是必要前提仍有待觀察。