Singapore – For the first time in 20 years, Singapore will inaugurate a new prime minister, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who will assume the reins of power in a ceremony on Wednesday, May 15.
The 51-year-old will replace Lee Hsien Loong – the eldest son of the country’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew – who has been in office since August 2004.
Wong is only the fourth leader in Singapore’s 59-year history as an independent nation. Like his predecessors, he is a member of the People’s Action Party (PAP), co-founded by the elder Lee and the only ruling party Singaporeans have ever known.
The stage is now set for general elections in the city-state of 6 million people, which observers say could be held as early as this year, although the current government’s term will not expire until 2025.
In the last election in 2020, the PAP won over 61 percent of the vote, losing just 10 seats in the 98-member parliament to the opposition, but this was considered a below-average performance given that the opposition won just six seats in the previous parliament.
The stakes are now higher and a new leader is traditionally expected to obtain a strong mandate from voters. Wong will be tasked with maintaining the PAP’s dominance in the face of an increasingly demanding electorate that wants to have a greater say in governance and avoid the brass-knuckle tactics and paternalistic policies of previous governments.
They are also tired of the rat race, which Wong himself acknowledged.
Among the most pressing issues it faces: tackling the rising cost of living, the aging population, the slowing economy and immigration. The PAP was also rocked by a rare corruption scandal.
Additionally, Wong must navigate the ever-present rivalry between China and the United States, as the small island is a key ally of both superpowers.
Who is Lawrence Wong?
The mild-mannered Wong was selected by his peers from among the “4G”, or fourth generation of leaders in Singapore political parlance, to be 72-year-old Lee’s successor in April 2022.
Something of a compromise candidate, he was not the first choice.
It was former central bank chief and education minister Heng Swee Keat, 63, appointed to succeed Lee in 2018. In a country known for its political stability, Heng triggered a mini political crisis by stepping aside two and a half years later . , citing his age and admitting that he didn’t feel up to the task from the start.
Unlike many of his PAP colleagues, Wong did not come from the island establishment nor attend the best schools. Attending university in the US on a government scholarship, he started out as an economist at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry before entering politics in 2011.
After stints as minister in less glamorous portfolios, such as national development, he was not considered a potential prime minister, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything.
As co-leader of the country’s COVID-19 working group, Wong has emerged as the public face of the government’s response to the pandemic, deftly fielding questions from foreign media outlets in televised press conferences. Such events are a rarity in a country that has a dismal performance in the World press freedom rankings – Singapore ranked 126th out of 180 countries and territories this year.
“Mr Wong is seen as a technocrat, [who is] friendly and approachable. He has performed well in the COVID-19 crisis, so he can be seen as competent,” said former PAP MP Inderjit Singh, who served alongside Lee in his central Ang Mo Kio district for two decades.
Noting that Wong was only chosen two years ago, after a period of political uncertainty, he added: “Anyone in his position will have a difficult job to show that they are in fact the right leader. He has the big task of quickly showing that he is really the right person who can deliver.”
Leadership succession
Historically, leadership succession in Singapore has been a well-oiled process, with the heir apparent announced well in advance and prepared for years. This was facilitated by an excellent governance record, the PAP’s long parliamentary majority – at its peak, there were no opposition legislators – and its dominance over key institutions.
Heng’s sudden departure was therefore unprecedented. Wong will also have the shortest runway of all – he became Lee’s deputy just two months after being named his successor. By comparison, the younger Lee served as deputy prime minister for 14 years before taking the top job.
This perhaps explains Law Minister and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam’s prickly response to what he called a “mocking” comment in last month’s The Economist, which branded Wong a compromise candidate, and the Singapore media as “docile”. Weeks later, the UK weekly conducted a wide-ranging interview with Wong, where he stressed that, as prime minister, he would not shy away from making unpopular decisions.
“Wong seems to be very personable. He doesn’t portray the image of a hardliner,” said former newspaper editor PN Balji, who interacted extensively with Wong’s predecessors. While he is optimistic that Wong will prove himself, he added: “If you look at Lee Kuan Yew’s leadership so far, the quality of leadership has diminished a bit.”
Perhaps this is why Lee Hsien Loong is not leaving – he will remain in the cabinet with the title of senior minister, as his predecessors did.
“Given the short runway, I think Wong will benefit [Lee’s] presence, especially to help maintain [good] external relations,” Singh said.
What do Singaporeans think of him?
Despite his rising profile during the pandemic, the guitar-playing, dog-loving and social media-friendly Wong remains something of an unknown to Singaporeans.
According to a recent YouGov Poll, just over half of those questioned considered him competent, with less than a third agreeing that he was a strong leader. About 40 percent said he seemed trustworthy, a significantly higher number among Gen Z respondents. A fifth felt hopeful about Wong’s appointment, while 36 percent declared indifference.
Many also indicated high expectations for the new prime minister, perhaps reflecting the fact that Singapore’s government leaders are the highest paid in the world, with the prime minister taking home 2.2 million Singapore dollars (1. 6 million dollars) per year, including bonuses.
“Wong’s biggest challenge in the near term will be articulating an easy-to-understand, inclusive and progressive political vision that will attract broad support for his government in the next election,” Elvin Ong, assistant professor at the National University of Singapore’s department of political science, said. he told Al Jazeera.
Wong, who stressed that he did not seek the position nor expect to become leader, is certainly working hard to win over the electorate. “Every ounce of my energy will be dedicated to serving our country and our people,” he said in a post to his nearly 200,000 Instagram followers after the transfer date was announced. “Your dreams will inspire my actions.”
Calling Singapore an “unlikely, improbable nation”, he told The Economist: “My mission is to maintain this miracle as long as I can.”
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
