Singapore’s political succession: watch out for the big reveal when the ruling party meets
- Identity of the Lion City’s fourth prime minister will emerge soon, says former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
- The results will come after the ruling People’s Action Party’s internal elections next Sunday
The city state’s former prime minister, Goh Chok Tong, said the election of new leaders from the PAP’s fourth-generation (4G) to its central executive committee (CEC) on November 11 meant the issue of succession would be addressed by the end of the year as he had hoped.
“They are going to elect new leaders for the party at the coming CEC election. So it’s still 2018,” said Goh to This Week in Asia. “But they will still have to march to their own political rhythm. I don’t know when the CEC would meet, maybe in December or maybe early next year and then they will decide on the position of the new 4G leaders.
“At that point in time, you will know who will be No 1, who will be No 2 or rather, who will be the team for the next round,” Goh said.
PAP cadres meet every two years to elect members to the party’s highest decision-making body. There are currently 18 members in the CEC, six of whom were co-opted after the last election.
