The mystery of who is going to be the next leader of the People’s Action Party (PAP) has finally been revealed. In this long and drawn-out saga which had left some questioning the supposedly thought-out succession planning in our nation-state, the Minister for Finance, Lawrence Wong has emerged victorious.
Yet, there are still further questions. Despite naming a successor, current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, still does not seem ready to hand over the reins, saying that the timeline of succession for the country’s leadership has yet to be determined.
The succession for PAP leadership is like a reality TV show, with twists and turns and question marks. Watch this space!
For a while, Deputy Prime Minister, Heng Swee Keat had looked like the future leader. His seemingly disastrous “East Coast Plan” speech in the lead-up to the general election of 2020 had however raised some eyebrows. Shortly after that faux pas, Mr Heng announced that he had no plans to be PM. Coincidence? Maybe.
Minister for Education, Chan Chun Sing, was also a potential candidate. However, despite efforts, he has not proven to be popular with the masses. From leaked audio of him criticising Singaporeans for being “Xia Suay” to embarrassingly saying that cotton came from Sheep, Mr Chan may have proven to be too gaff prone to be the future PM.
Ong Ye Kung was also apparently in the running, but Singaporeans do not know him well enough. Especially not when compared to Mr Wong who has held various high-profile positions including Covid management which has given him much exposure to Singaporeans.
Looking at the finer details, it is clear that the writing was always on the wall, that Mr Wong would be the future leader of the PAP.
What do we really know about Mr Lawrence Wong?
He seems calm under pressure and has navigated the pressures of Covid-19 relatively unscathed, unlike his colleague, former Minister for Manpower, Josephine Teo.
He is however not free from criticism. Netizens have had mixed reactions to news of his selection. He has also been lambasted for being “out of touch with the ground” in his recent budget when he seems to have overlooked the plight of private hire drivers and food delivery drivers amid the skyrocketing fuel prices.
Other questions netizens might have for him may include questions about the investigation of former Jurong GRC candidate, Mr Ivan Lim, in relation to bribery. While the internal investigation has cleared him of involvement, the official statements have been light on detail. This has led some to question if Mr Lim would be fielded as a candidate again?
Apart from viral memes of him looking like Liang Por Por, Mr Wong is virtually scandal-free. Only one point remains shrouded in mystery. Who is Mr Wong’s wife, and why does that seem to be such a closely guarded secret?
As the future PM, he will need the support of his spouse and if this is not forthcoming, this might be an issue. Secondly, to avoid accusations of nepotism or corruption, it is best that such information is made public. It would help with accountability and transparency – something that a leader would want to portray in his leadership.
The last thing Mr Wong would want is the idea that his leadership is molly-coddled.
Death of Jason Tan
Just as we talk about bread and butter issues in Singapore, a tragic accident last week has seen the death of a young Singaporean who was just about to become a first-time father, Mr Jason Tan. Mr Tan was a food delivery rider who only went out to work that fateful day because he wanted to make extra money for his family.
These are the very people who are directly affected by the increasing prices of fuel. Perhaps, the Government will reconsider its current take on this issue.
Death Penalty for Nagaenthran
This last week also saw the heartbreaking decision that the court has made in relation to the execution of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam (Nagen). As some might be aware, Nagen’s death sentence was earlier postponed because he had contracted Covid-19. Nagen has been on death row for 11 years and is said to have an IQ of just 69.
Whether we are proponents of the death penalty or not, can we in good conscience allow the hanging of an intellectually disabled person? I know I cannot. It weighs heavily indeed. To what extent are we prepared to continually stand by the mandatory death penalty when it makes no allowances for people who are intellectually disabled?
Activist, Kokila Annamalai puts it most eloquently when she says:
“As I write this, I am not sure what I hope it will do. I just know it is important to chronicle the fleeting ways in which I have encountered Nagen’s spirit and how it refuses to be crushed. I don’t believe it has the power to help Nagen, but it helps me remember that in the face of administrative evil and a murderous state, we cannot, must not, surrender our humanity. Till Nagen is alive, we fight on. And if his life is taken, then too, because that is what every death row prisoner asks – “if not for us, for the others. There are so many others. They still have a chance.”