Residence Sri Temasek Formation 5 June 1959 | Inaugural holder Kwa Geok Choo | |
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The Spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore refers to the spouse of the head of government of Singapore, the Prime Minister. Since, Singapore became an internally self-governing state within the Commonwealth, the title has been occupied by women, therefore the spouse is also known as the Prime Minister's wife. To date, three women have held the title of the spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore.
Ho Ching is the spouse of the incumbent Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong.
Role of the spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore
The spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and brings no salary. However, she does receive some allowance as recognition of her time and energy put into being the spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore.
As the spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or representing the Prime Minister. There is a strict taboo against the spouse holding outside employment while serving as spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore.
Following the Asian value system, where the woman is the guiding light and pillar of the household, the spouse also represents family values and is taken as a motherly figure.
The spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore frequently participates in humanitarian and charitable work. It became increasingly common for spouses of heads of state or government to select specific causes to promote, usually ones that are not politically divisive. It is common for the spouse of the Prime Minister of Singapore to form organisations and hire a staff to support these activities.