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. 
新加坡第一任总理及开国元老、现任内阁资政李光耀（Lee Kuan Yew）周六说，他将离开政府内阁以便让更年轻的一代领导人接手。这位87岁前总理的政党在前不久的大选中支持率大幅下滑。
   
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岁的前总理吴作栋（Goh Chok Tong）也宣布决定辞去国务资政一职，他在1990年至2004年期间担任新加坡总理，卸任后被任命为国务资政。
   
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，新加坡内阁资政李光耀（Lee Kuan Yew）抵达一个选举提名中心时向支持者挥手致意。身为现代新加坡开国元老的李光耀在上周末过后退出了内阁。在上周的大选中，他所在政党的支持率出现下滑。二人都均任位高权重之职数十年。自1965年独立以来，新加坡一直被李光耀的人民行动党（People's Action Party）所主导。作为世界最重要金融中心之一的新加坡正在经历更新换代和政治变革，李光耀和吴作栋的离开是这种变化的最新迹象。
   
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，人民行动党在最新一轮选举中获得了87个议会席位中的81席，但他们获得的选票比例为60.1%，是新加坡建国以来的最低点，上一次在2006年的票选率为近67%。新加坡外交部长杨荣文（George Yeo）和总理公署部长兼财政部和交通部第二部长陈惠华(Lim Hwee Hua)的内阁席位输给了反对党工人党（Workers' Party ）候选人。
   
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.
近几年，李光耀的政策以及他时而强悍的性格招致选民越来越多的批评。不清楚二人离职的举动是否会促使新加坡政府发生其他更实质性的变化，或是意在为平息选民情绪做出的象征性姿态。
   
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.
二人都仍将是代表各自选区的议会成员。另外，李光耀还是新加坡政府投资公司（Government of Singapore Investment Corp.）董事主席，该公司是新加坡两大国有投资公司之一。吴作栋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.
新加坡管理大学（Singapore Management University）助理法学教授Eugene Tan说，不过，他们决定退出新加坡内阁的举动是一个“政治里程碑”，突出表明人民行动党和政府不反对改变。他还认为李光耀之子、现任总理李显龙（Lee Hsien Loong）在未来将会进一步“全面负责”。
   
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.
澳大利亚莫多克大学亚洲研究中心（Murdoch University Asia Research Centre）研究员罗丹（Garry Rodan）说，为内阁注入新鲜血液的决定似乎确实表明，李显龙总理正力图在公众心目中确立要脱离过去领导力的印象。他说，不过李光耀可能仍有强大的权力。
   
'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.'
他说，内阁资政李光耀不仅会成为具有相当大权力的议员，他依然还可通过国内各种各样的权力网非正式地行使巨大的影响力；这是走近政治自由化的一个选择还是必要前提仍有待观察。