Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Monday, Sept 24, that the choice for Singapore's next Prime Minister will be clearer next year.
Mr Shanmugam was speaking at a corporate governance event. He explained that the next generation of leaders have been given different portfolios, said a report by Channel NewsAsia.
"The phase we are at now internally is that a team has been formed," Mr Shanmugam said. "That team has been put through its paces, has held a variety of ministerial portfolios. They still need a little bit more time with Singaporeans so that Singaporeans can see them and assess them for themselves."
He also mentioned that there is a "small group" of young ministers who meet regularly every week. They would think through, discuss, and even design policies without the PM or senior ministers present.
"And then they put it to the entire Cabinet. And we look at it. So that gives them a sense of each other, a sense of assessing each other, how they can work with each other. And then we have told them, you go and choose who amongst you is going to be the primus inter pares."
The People's Action Party's Central Executive Committee election is slated for later this year. Mr Shanmugsm said that that would be the time where an indication of who will become Singapore's next prime minister could come. "Look out for the slate of candidates elected. Look at the positions they hold and that should give you an indication of where the transition process is and from there…"
