The Independent Singapore may have spotted a rising star. When Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled his new Cabinet on May 25, one remark stood out to seasoned observers: Wong singled out Desmond Lee for praise. Veteran journalist PN Balji quickly picked up on the cue, writing that Lee “could go on to bigger things.”
Wong’s words were measured but significant: “Desmond brings a quiet but effective style of leadership. He listens actively and persistently, engages widely with stakeholders, and takes decisive actions when needed.” For Singapore, a country known for pragmatism over pageantry, such praise carries weight.
Unlike some of Singapore’s past political giants — the fiery Lee Kuan Yew or the eloquent David Marshall — Lee speaks with understated clarity. His manner is conversational and grounded, in tune with the present generation, which favours simplicity over grand rhetoric.
Steady rise
Lee’s rise has been steady. His appointment as Education Minister was already a signal of trust and importance — education, after all, holds a special place in Singapore’s governance. It has historically been the portfolio of many political heavyweights, including Goh Keng Swee, Tony Tan, Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Lee stepped into this charmed circle with the added distinction of family legacy: his father, Lee Yock Suan, was also Education Minister from 1992 to 1997. Only one other father-son pair — Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong — have both served as ministers in Singapore, underscoring how rare such political continuity is in the city-state.
Now, Desmond Lee has been appointed chairman of the People’s Action Party (PAP), a position that boosts not only his own stature but also affirms the generational transition underway. The move strengthens the grip of the PAP’s so-called “4G” — the fourth-generation leadership team — on the party machinery. With Prime Minister Wong as secretary-general and Lee as chairman, the party’s helm is now firmly in 4G hands.
That generational label, “4G”, doesn’t necessarily refer to age. It marks the fourth leadership cohort since Singapore’s independence: the founding leaders led by Lee Kuan Yew (1G); the Goh Chok Tong generation (2G); the Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet (3G); and now, the current team under Wong. Many of today’s 4G ministers, including Wong, Heng Swee Keat, and Lee himself, entered politics around the 2011 general election.
Still, age is not irrelevant. The former PAP chairman, Heng Swee Keat, was widely expected to become the next Prime Minister. But in 2021, Heng, then 60, stepped aside, citing concerns about his ability to lead the country over a sufficiently long period. This opened the door for the younger Wong, now 52. Desmond Lee, at 48, is even younger — close to the national median age of 42.8 — and well positioned for a long and meaningful political future.
Gen X nation
In fact, Singapore today is very much a Generation X nation, led by Gen Xers like Wong and Lee. While a few 3G figures remain in Cabinet — most notably Lee Hsien Loong as Senior Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan at Foreign Affairs, and K. Shanmugam at Home Affairs and National Security — many others, including Teo Chee Hean, Ng Eng Hen and Maliki Osman, have stepped down. The character of the Cabinet has shifted. It is now younger and more technocratic.
Netizens have cottoned on to the growing importance of Desmond Lee. As hatboyslim says on the subreddit r/Singapore:
“Technically, in party protocol, the chairman has precedence over the secretary-general, although the secretary-general is the leader of the party.
“This is a big party promotion for the son of Lee Yock Suan. This adds to his promotion to Minister for Education, which is one of the big four portfolios (finance, defence, home affairs, and education).’’
Recalling how he and his PAP team beat the Progress Singapore Party at Jurong West GRC in the recent general election, serendeepities notes in the same subreddit:
“The GE showed his pull in West Coast and from those who have worked with him, he is well regarded albeit someone that is more of a quiet technocrat. Though he tends to be understated, his trajectory remains constant and will likely continue to be a presence especially in the 4-5G and the PAP. All the more so given his age.”
Like PM Lawrence Wong
Desmond Lee’s trajectory has notably mirrored Wong’s. Wong has been education minister, too, and both have served as national development ministers. Lee, a lawyer by training, does not have Wong’s background in economics. Yet both have managed portfolios that touch the core of Singapore’s long-term strategy — housing, infrastructure, education, and urban planning.
As National Development Minister, Lee took over from Wong in 2020 and remained in the role through the 2025 general election. During his tenure, he oversaw policies to increase housing supply, upgrade public estates, and steer long-term planning initiatives. These are issues that directly affect the lives of everyday Singaporeans.
Lee’s appointment as PAP chairman is the latest step in a carefully built political path. He isn’t being thrust into unfamiliar territory; he has already served as the party’s assistant secretary-general and has sat on the PAP’s Central Executive Committee. While the chairman’s role doesn’t usually generate headlines like ministerial portfolios do, it remains an influential post — previously held by political heavyweights such as Toh Chin Chye, Ong Teng Cheong, Tony Tan, and Khaw Boon Wan.
There’s no doubt that Lee’s political résumé is substantial — and growing. From a legacy family to high-profile ministries, from quiet leadership to party command, he has built a career marked by steadiness rather than spectacle. The question now is not whether he will go on to bigger things, but just how far he might go.