Setback for leadership succession as DPM Heng steps aside

Singapore

SINGAPORE'S leadership succession plans suffered a setback on Thursday as Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that he is taking himself out of the running to become the Republic's next prime minister.

Citing age and health as reasons, Mr Heng, who turns 60 this year, told a press conference at the Istana that he would have "too short a runway" to lead the country beyond the Covid-19 crisis should he take on the top job.

"I will be close to my mid-60s when the crisis is over," said Mr Heng, who is also Finance Minister.

"When I also consider the ages at which our first three prime ministers have taken on the job, I would have too short a runway should I become the next prime minister then," he said.

Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew was 35 when he took on the job, his successor Goh Chok Tong, 49, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 52.

"We need a leader who will not only rebuild Singapore post-Covid-19 but also lead the next phase of our nation-building efforts," said Mr Heng.

He suffered a stroke in 2016, two years before he was tipped to be the next prime minister, but he has since made a robust recovery, with doctors certifying his clean bill of health.

Even so, the top job imposes "exceptional demands" on the person holding that office, he said, recalling his many conversations with the late Mr Lee, for whom he had served as Principal Private Secretary between 1997 and 2000.

"He had been extremely careful about his health, but even then, he would from time to time say it is different when you are older," he said.

It is for these reasons that Mr Heng made the decision to step aside as leader of the 4G or fourth generation leadership team, believing that it is in Singapore's best interest for someone younger to tackle the "huge challenges" ahead.

Prime Minister Lee, who was also at the press conference, said he accepted Mr Heng's decision, describing it as a "selfless decision" that was made with the best interests of Singapore in mind.

Mr Heng will also relinquish his finance portfolio in a Cabinet reshuffle set to take place in two weeks, but he will continue as DPM and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Mr Lee said.

In addition, he will remain First Assistant Secretary-General of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).

During the general election (GE) last July, Mr Heng led his team to a narrow victory at East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) , having been moved there at the eleventh hour after having served Tampines GRC for a decade. Mr Heng and his team took the GRC with 53.41 per cent of the votes; the winning margin was 7.32 percentage points lower than the PAP's performance in 2015.

However, he said the result had nothing to do with his decision to step aside.

While he did not directly affirm if he would continue to stand in the next GE due by 2025, he said he will continue to do what is useful and meaningful for Singaporeans, having spent almost four decades in public service.

Speaking on behalf of the 4G team, Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who is also a Central Executive Member of the PAP, said: "This unexpected turn of events is a setback for our succession planning."

He added that the 4G team will need time to select a new leader among themselves.

"That is why we have requested PM Lee to stay on as prime minister until such time when a new successor is chosen by the team and is ready to take over. We are very grateful that PM has agreed to our requests."

Mr Lee said the government's immediate focus is on the health crisis and economic crisis, but that he and the 4G team are "very conscious that succession remains an urgent task and cannot be put off indefinitely".

This process could take more than a few months, but should not take more than a couple of years, said Mr Lee, adding that a clear outcome should emerge before the next GE.

"That would be a reasonable time frame to work towards. In fact, that time frame is also the reason why we have decided to come out with this issue now, rather than wait until a new leader is identified." He said it's the government's responsibility to tell the team and the public about this "important material information".

"Knowing this, you will have to reshape and reconfigure the relationships and responsibilities in order that a new balance will be struck," the prime minister added.

Asked if the last two years have been "wasted" and if the lack of a clear leader for the 4G team could spell disruption for its work, Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Fu said: "The disruptions of Covid-19 has given us a lot of tests and challenges to really work as a team and also hone our experience as ministers." She said the challenges have given the team an opportunity to bond, adding that this has given them the confidence to select a new leader in good time.

Even so, the team revealed no hint as to who the potential frontrunners might be.

Asked if he could be the next in line, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing replied: "When DPM Heng chose me as his deputy in 2018, the team supported it.

"Now that DPM decided to step aside as a leader of the 4G, the 4G team should be given the opportunity to relook at the question of succession holistically."

READ MORE: Investors unlikely to be rattled by DPM Heng's decision