PM Wong to take over as PAP chief in coming weeks

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has confirmed that he will step down as PAP chief, bringing to a close his 20-year tenure in the party’s top post.

Announcing this at the biennial PAP conference held at the Singapore Expo on Nov 24, SM Lee said it would be his final speech to the party conference as the People’s Action Party’s secretary-general.

When the party’s central executive committee (CEC) next meets, he would propose that it elect Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to take over from him as the next party chief. The new CEC customarily meets within a few weeks of the party conference.

“This will complete the leadership transition from me to my successor,” said SM Lee, who joined politics in 1984 and led the PAP’s top decision-making body for 10 successive cycles.

Speaking right after PAP cadres had chosen the 12 members who will form the party’s 38th CEC, SM Lee sought to rally party activists to convince Singaporeans to vote according to their conscience in the coming election, and that the PAP is the right choice for Singapore.

He also emphasised the importance of good succession planning and leadership transition, which he said have accorded Singapore a tremendous advantage.

The Republic has carried out orderly transitions for its top political leadership three times in a row now, but this cannot be taken for granted.

“Indeed, quite a few foreign leaders whom I have met have expressed astonishment at how uneventful our transition was,” he said. “It is amazing to them, because in other countries all sorts of things can happen and do happen.”

This includes leaders being forced to resign when their party does badly in an election, or due to factional rivalries even when there is no electoral pressure.

These fights within a single party can be as fierce as fights between different political parties, and in all cases lead to upheaval that causes both party and country to suffer, he said.

Singapore is very fortunate to have avoided these scenarios and stayed cohesive so far, he said.

“The party leadership is united, and shares a common goal: to serve the best interests of the country, and not to advance anyone’s ambitions,” said SM Lee.

Such seamless handovers have maintained consistent leadership and direction for the country, mobilised Singaporeans to focus on difficult and long-term issues, and resulted in steady progress year after year, he said.

This is the mark of a well-functioning political system, and is why the Republic needs to do its best to keep the system stable by electing good leaders who will selflessly prepare their successors and hand over responsibility when the time comes, he added.

The PAP can present a strong report card at the next general election, he said, having steered the country safely through Covid-19, tackled concerns on people’s minds, and enhanced Singapore’s standing in the world.

He acknowledged that Singaporeans remain anxious about several issues, such as housing and the cost of living.

On housing, he said the PAP Government has moved to shorten wait times for Build-To-Order flats, and introduced the Standard, Plus and Prime framework to keep public housing flats affordable and accessible to all.

As for cost of living, inflation has eased and the Government will continue to provide support to households, especially those in greater need, he said.

The most difficult issue to tackle is reaching out to voters who recognise that the PAP has done a good job governing Singapore and would like to see it continue, but who also want to see more opposition and alternative voices in Parliament, said SM Lee.

All seats are likely to be contested in the coming election, and quite a few of them fiercely, he added.

The party will have to convince Singaporeans that the PAP has their best interests at heart, and will always do its best to take care of them and improve their lives, he told the more than 3,000 party activists and guests gathered at Singapore Expo.

“We have to work very hard to make sure that voters understand that they cannot afford to treat this next general election as a by-election,” he said “What is at stake is the future of Singapore.”

On his role post-handover, SM Lee said he intends to remain in the CEC, where he would play a supporting and advisory role.

This means that he would “neither be the first responder, (nor) the final decider” in the party’s top body or in the Cabinet, he said. Instead, he would offer PM Wong the benefit of his experience and to help him to mobilise support from Singaporeans to tackle the challenges ahead.

In closing, SM Lee stressed that Singapore must do its utmost to keep the system exceptional.

“We are different. We must always be different. If we are same-same, I can tell you: Singapore is going to be different.

“We must always be clean and incorrupt, meritocratic, uplifting, and bringing up the best in our people,” he said. “Always serving a higher purpose – not privileges for a few, but the well-being of all as we build a successful nation where everyone can progress together.”