SINGAPORE: Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat was on Friday (Nov 23) appointed the People's Action Party (PAP) first assistant secretary-general, an indication that he is the frontrunner to be Singapore's next prime minister.
Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing, who has also been seen as a leading candidate for the top political post, was appointed the second assistant secretary-general.
AdvertisementThe post of party chairman fell to Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, while Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong remains the party's secretary-general.
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, the third person identified as a possible successor to Mr Lee, was appointed assistant treasurer.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam was appointed treasurer.
On Nov 11, more of Singapore’s fourth-generation leaders stepped up to the party’s core leadership after being elected or co-opted into the PAP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe other members of the CEC are: Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Culture, Community and Youth Minister Grace Fu, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah and Ng Chee Meng and Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin.
Several senior leaders also stepped down as the party gears up for renewal ahead of general elections due to be called by 2021. Mr Lee, 66, has said he wants to step down by age 70.
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