Last month, speculation over who would lead Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP) into its fourth generation came to an end. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made the much- anticipated announcement via social media that Lawrence Wong, the 49-year-old, Harvard- educated finance minister, would be the party’s future figurehead. Considering their dominance, this places Mr. Wong as the strong favourite to be Singapore’s next prime minister.
Mr. Wong has wasted no time presenting himself to the world as the next face of Singapore. He has held meetings with the World Bank President and G20 finance ministers, sat down with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House to discuss American engagement in Southeast Asia, and this week visits Jakarta to promote Singaporean start-ups in Indonesia. Whilst Mr. Wong claims that he “never hankered for post, position or power”, he has wasted little time in stepping up.
Since the departure of expected successor Heng Swee Keat 12 months ago, the PAP have stressed the need for stability. This was echoed in the leadership selection process that identified Mr. Wong as the most popular choice. Through extensive interviews and ranked choice votes amongst high-ranking PAP officials, 79% selected Lawrence Wong as their top candidate. The future of the PAP was no longer in doubt.
However, despite the next leader insisting in a recent press conference that his mandate comes from the people, the opportunity to express their support or discontent at the polls is unlikely for some time. The PAP are under no obligation to hold the next general election before November 2025. Record parliamentary gains made by the Workers’ Party (WP) and the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) at the previous general election saw the PAP receive its lowest share of parliament since Singaporean independence. With narrow victories in historically strong constituencies such as Bukit Panjang and the West Coast GRC, long-time parliamentarians in those divisions such as S. Iswaran and Liang Eng Hwa will be nervous. Prime Minister Lee and Mr. Wong will be eager to ensure support doesn’t decline further before putting their leadership on the line at the polls.
Furthermore, events following the 2020 election have done little to boost public opinion, namely the government’s handling of COVID-19. A poll conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies pitted support at 53% in Autumn of last year, compared to over 70% earlier in the pandemic. Questions also arose regarding the relaxation of work from home mandates allowing dozens of office workers to mix, whilst maintaining a five-person limit on social gatherings.
Regardless, one man who has bolstered his political reputation since 2020 is Lawrence Wong. As co-chair of the government’s task force, he led a largely successful government initiative to manage COVID-19 in Singapore. He famously grew emotional in parliament when paying tribute to front-line pandemic workers, ran a successful re-election campaign against the Singapore Democratic Party in his constituency, and is the face of a $500 million stimulus package supporting pandemic-impacted jobs and businesses. This combination of successful policy and natural affability make him an ideal candidate once Lee Hsien Loong departs.
Still, Mr. Wong should not stand behind the leadership of Prime Minister Lee for longer than necessary. From that same press conference in which Mr. Wong implored that he could only lead Singapore with a mandate from the people, the current Prime Minister suggested he could stick around until after the next general election for the sake of stability. This would be a mistake.
Lawrence Wong must be in charge before voters go to the polls, not after. As a popular figure that has led Singapore through a crisis, the people should be given the opportunity to acknowledge that at the polls. Additionally, with the climbing popularity of rival parties, the PAP should not gift the WP or the PSP with a strong attack point – regardless of its accuracy – of Mr. Wong being incapable of winning on his own merit.
A stable establishment has long been a hallmark of Singaporean politics. Mr. Wong is wise to lean on the experience of Lee Hsien Loong, and will no doubt continue to do so even after his departure. However, the Singaporean people are more divided than ever. If Lawrence Wong is to lead his party – and the country – into its fourth generation, he must be seen as the one to whom any mandate is given, not Mr. Lee. For the long-term stability his party craves in a now-crowded political arena, Mr. Wong must be the face of Singapore at the next general election. Even if that means the people must wait until the PAP are comfortable enough to hold one.
· Images by Nitroacid., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons