Snap Insight: PAP cadres chose cautious renewal in challenging times

SINGAPORE: In the People’s Action Party (PAP) first leadership vote since receiving its strong electoral mandate in the May 2025 general election, only one new name was among the top 12 balloted.

Judging from the 19 faces on the ballot determined by the out-going central executive committee (CEC) and the outcome, the pace of leadership renewal was cautious; the diversity in thought and experience in the cadres’ choice, constrained. 

This, because of the broader context in which the vote was held.

CAUTIOUS RENEWAL

For all the talk of renewal leading up to the conference, party cadres chose the safe option and decided to firm up the bench of experienced fourth generation (4G) leaders and retain former Secretary-General Lee Hsien Loong and K Shanmugam for continuity within the party.

The PAP conference on Sunday (Oct 25) took place against the wider backdrop of the “polycrisis” that the region and world face. Cadres elected those who have demonstrated the adaptive and strategic capacity to deal with disorientating geopolitical, technological, business and cultural disruptions that are intertwining to re-write life as we know it. 

Their top 12 choices reflect who they are confident about dealing with the acute conditions of change while advancing the longer-term social and economic interests of the country and citizens. Mr Chee Hong Tat, who is National Development Minister was the only new name among that group. 

Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng, were co-opted into the decision-making body of the governing party, having been among the 14 with the highest votes.

CONSTRAINTS ON DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT AND EXPERIENCE

There is still the prospect of tapping newer ministers, when the members of the new 39th CEC meet in a few weeks. 

Two first-time Members of Parliament (MPs) and ministers, Jeffrey Siow and Jasmin Lau­, had been nominated but trailed their more experienced colleagues in the ballot outcome.

This would not cast a shadow on their standing since none other than current Secretary-General and Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong had his first term as member of the CEC after being co-opted in November 2018 and Mr Chee had his through co-optation in November 2024 also. 

As former senior civil servants, there is still a tension to negotiate: It would not signal an infusion of diversity at the leadership level of the party that a more complex, ambiguous and volatile political environment may require for an effective political movement under the current circumstances.

This is a factor PM Wong cited for raising ministerial salaries: to close the opportunity gap of recruiting people with proven leadership qualities from sectors outside of the military and civil service into politics and government. 

Dr Tan – someone with a private sector background, savvy in shaping opinion and moving crowds and now, in the hot seat with the ongoing global economic crisis – would be the model for alternative leaders the party will have to do more to nurture over time.

MORE WORK NEED TO WIN OVER POLITICAL CADRES

More work is needed for the younger leaders already in government office to gain the confidence of party cadres. 

The party is not the government. But if the government must make difficult policy decisions during challenging times, it needs to engage the ground more actively and the party faithful and grassroots work is one important channel to do so. Building faith in policy requires rich engagement by the party, with cadre fully motivated to support that.

The current conditions of governance will require more imagination from the party to create the platforms that allow 27 first-time PAP MPs and future political candidates to foster that crucial human interface between politics and policy; and from cadre to leaders.

Singaporeans need to be confident that the PAP continues to have a good feel for their daily struggles in this changing world. Quality political dialogue will allow leaders, especially if they are younger, newer and seem to come from the same mould, to earn the right to be heard by their constituents. 

Party-based work allows for this melding of heart with head on an ongoing basis. Politics, as the art of making the impossible possible, happens at that retail level, and all political parties neglect that at their peril.

Gillian Koh is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore.