PAP leadership vote: Younger ministers may step up into CEC as some senior figures make way

Political observers expect gradual renewal rather than an overhaul when PAP cadres elect their central executive committee on Sunday, with a mix of experience and fresh faces.

People's Action Party secretary-general Lawrence Wong with the party's central executive committee at its convention on Nov 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

This audio is generated by an AI tool.

SINGAPORE: A younger generation of leaders could assume greater responsibilities in the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) top decision-making body, with some senior figures potentially making way as part of renewal efforts, said political observers.

Cadres will elect the party's 39th central executive committee (CEC) on Sunday (Oct 25). It is the first such election for secretary-general Lawrence Wong since he led the party through his first general election as prime minister .

Dr Teo Kay Key, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, said nearly a year and a half has passed since GE2025, and Mr Wong would by now have "a better sense of how the team works together, as well as job fit for different individuals".

“We might see more of the new or younger ministers become involved in the CEC, to indicate that they will be taking a larger role in helping steer the party under PM Wong’s leadership,” she said.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Since last year’s general election, three first-term MPs have taken on key Cabinet portfolios – Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo and Acting Manpower Minister Jasmin Lau. Mr Zaqy Mohamad was also appointed acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs. Mr Siow, Mr Neo and Ms Lau are not in the CEC currently, while Mr Zaqy was co-opted into the committee in July after his appointment. Independent political observer Felix Tan expects them to join the new line-up, calling this "a fairly natural progression, reflecting their growing responsibilities within both the government and the party". Mr Malminderjit Singh, managing director of political consultancy Terra Corporate Affairs, said their inclusion would reinforce Mr Wong's focus on succession planning. “He has already done so on the government side and he would want to continue with that on the party side too, which usually broadly mirrors how he has put in place succession planning in Cabinet,” he said.

Since last year’s general election, three first-term MPs have taken on key Cabinet portfolios – Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo and Acting Manpower Minister Jasmin Lau. Mr Zaqy Mohamad was also appointed acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs.

Mr Siow, Mr Neo and Ms Lau are not in the CEC currently, while Mr Zaqy was co-opted into the committee in July after his appointment.

Independent political observer Felix Tan expects them to join the new line-up, calling this "a fairly natural progression, reflecting their growing responsibilities within both the government and the party".

Mr Malminderjit Singh, managing director of political consultancy Terra Corporate Affairs, said their inclusion would reinforce Mr Wong's focus on succession planning.

“He has already done so on the government side and he would want to continue with that on the party side too, which usually broadly mirrors how he has put in place succession planning in Cabinet,” he said.

YOUNGER LEADERS STEPPING UP

When Mr Wong's predecessor Lee Hsien Loong faced a party election in 2006 after his first General Election as prime minister earlier in the same year, he kept a strong third-generation core and retained Mr Lim Boon Heng as chairman.

Before that, during PAP's 1992 CEC election, Mr Goh Chok Tong took the helm as secretary-general after becoming prime minister two years before. Mr Lee was appointed his first assistant secretary-general then, which signalled he was next in line for the premiership, said Mr Singh.

Observers said Mr Wong is expected to put his stamp on the committee as he did with his Cabinet after the General Election, but added that they do not expect radical change.

Mr Goh Pei Ming, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Mr Jeffrey Siow, Mr Lawrence Wong, Mr David Neo and Ms Jasmine Lau during a media press conference at the National Press Centre, MDDI on Jul 22, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)

“He has time with another CEC election due in 2028. Incremental change is likely the theme. It will be continuity among change,” said Singapore Management University associate professor of law Eugene Tan.

Leaders from the 4.5G and 5G are expected to increase their presence gradually, though Mr Wong still needs to keep faith with his peers from the fourth-generation leadership, said Assoc Prof Tan.

“The larger intent is to signal that the party is evolving and so is Singapore, and the party’s top leadership will reflect that,” he said, adding that the CEC may see more minority race and female representation.

Even though the secretary-general can co-opt members, newer entrants still need a broad base of cadre support , said Mr Singh.

He noted that Mr Wong has "a bumper crop" of senior ministers of state and ministers of state to choose from, and may draw on them for a fresher party slate.

Dr Felix Tan said one or two first-term MPs who are not political office holders could also enter the CEC, which would signal they are "destined for more important roles within the party in the coming years".

Mr Singh said another development to watch is whether a second assistant secretary-general is appointed. The party's sole assistant secretary-general is Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing.

Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing during the ministerial roundtable at the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue on May 30, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Ili Mansor)

“When Lee Hsien Loong was secretary-general, he had Teo Chee Hean and Tharman as his first and second assistant secretaries-general,” he noted. A second appointment could broaden the party’s senior leadership bench and signal who else might be groomed for higher office, including a potential future deputy prime minister should Mr Gan Kim Yong step aside in the future, he added.

SENIOR FIGURES MAKING WAY

Some senior figures may make way for younger members, but observers said the shift would be done in a way that retains experience and institutional knowledge.

With the limited space in the CEC – 12 elected seats and up to six co-opted ones – some Cabinet members could be left out, Dr Teo said.

“Given that this is likely going to be a 4G leadership team, we might see the more senior members take a backseat in the day-to-day running of the party and cede the space to the younger leaders,” she said.

Mr Singh, however, said Mr Wong may keep "a core group of senior leaders" for counsel, as he has done in Cabinet, and rely on them to groom younger party leaders.

The three oldest members of the current committee are Senior Ministers Lee Hsien Loong, 74, and K Shanmugam, 67, and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, 65.

Assoc Prof Tan said that while he does not discount all three senior leaders continuing in the PAP CEC, one or more of the trio can be expected to step down if there is a need to accommodate younger leaders.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong with Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam at the Chong Pang Integrated Development's groundbreaking ceremony on March 26, 2023.

He added that Mr Lee will likely be elected back into the CEC, calling him "the vital link between the 3G and 4G" as the party's immediate past secretary-general.

Dr Felix Tan, however, expects both senior ministers to stay. “While there are some (older members) that he can do without, these two would be difficult to replace in his current tenure,” he said.

Senior ministers have served without being in the CEC before, most recently Mr Teo Chee Hean and Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, he acknowledged. But Dr Tan said Mr Wong has so far favoured retaining experienced leaders in his governing team.

“Their inclusion would therefore suggest that the CEC is not simply about parliamentary representation, but also about preserving institutional experience and supporting the PAP’s longer-term organisational and leadership needs,” he said.

Observers said that Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli may be succeeded by Mr Zaqy as party vice-chairman.

“This does not necessarily mean that Masagos no longer has a role to play, but the party may see value in gradually creating more space for the next generation of Malay-Muslim leaders to establish their own profiles within both the party and the community,” said Dr Felix Tan.

Non-MPs have sat on the committee in every term since 2020, and observers expect this to continue.

Mr Ng Chee Meng and Mr Victor Lye, who lost in Sengkang GRC and Aljunied GRC respectively in the 2020 General Election, were co-opted that year. Mr Alex Yeo, who also lost in Aljunied GRC, was co-opted in 2022 alongside Mr Ng.

In the last CEC election two years ago, Mr Ng and his former Sengkang teammate Lam Pin Min were co-opted. Mr Ng, Mr Lye and Mr Yeo have since become MPs after winning at last year's General Election.

“I do expect PM Wong to see merit in having non-MPs in the party top leadership. It is a way of showing voters in constituencies where the PAP was not elected that they do matter to the party and that they are represented in the party decision-making and policy-making,” said Assoc Prof Tan.

NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng speaking to jobseekers at the NTUC Career Festival on Feb 13, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

Noting that Mr Ng had been included primarily in his capacity as labour chief , Assoc Prof Tan said he anticipates only one unelected GE candidate this time.

Given that Dr Lam is from the Sengkang GRC team, the next non-MP could be from Aljunied GRC or Hougang, he said.

Dr Felix Tan said that retaining non-MPs would signal they have a longer-term role in the party.

He said the PAP could see value in their experience and contributions beyond holding elected office, view them as potential candidates for future elections, or task them with helping to identify, mentor and attract new candidates.

However, Mr Singh said their inclusion in the next CEC line-up is not guaranteed, given shifting considerations.

“I think some of the non-MPs were brought into the CEC to shore up their party support and standing before the last GE,” he said. Priorities may have shifted toward succession planning and giving newer political office holders a place in the party's top leadership body, he added.

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

政治观察人士预计，人民行动党干部周日选举中央执行委员会时，将迎来渐进式更新而非彻底改革，新委员会将由经验丰富的成员和新鲜面孔组成。

2025年11月9日，人民行动党秘书长黄循财与该党中央执行委员会成员在党代会上合影。（图片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

这段音频是由人工智能工具生成的。

新加坡：政治观察人士表示，随着人民行动党（PAP）高层决策机构中一些资深人士可能卸任，年轻一代的领导人可能会承担更大的责任，这是该党更新换代努力的一部分。

党内干部将于周日（10月25日）选举该党第39届中央执行委员会（CEC）。这是总书记黄循财自领导该党赢得其首次总理大选以来，首次参加此类选举。

政策研究所高级研究员张启基博士表示，距离2025年大选已经过去了近一年半的时间，黄先生现在应该“更好地了解团队是如何合作的，以及不同人的工作是否适合该职位”。

“我们可能会看到更多新任或年轻的部长参与中央执行委员会的工作，这表明他们将在黄英贤总理的领导下，在帮助引导党方面发挥更大的作用，”她说。

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小小的谜题，强大的脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 自去年大选以来，三位新当选的国会议员担任了重要的内阁职务——交通部长萧正祥、文化、社区及青年部长梁振英和人力部代部长刘嘉玲。扎基·穆罕默德先生也被任命为主管穆斯林事务的代部长。萧正祥先生、梁振英先生和刘嘉玲女士目前不在中央执行委员会（CEC）任职，而扎基先生在7月被任命后被增选进入该委员会。独立政治观察员陈菲利克斯预计他们将加入新的内阁阵容，称这是“一个相当自然的进程，反映了他们在政府和党内日益增长的责任”。政治咨询公司Terra Corporate Affairs的董事总经理马明德吉特·辛格先生表示，他们的加入将强化黄英贤先生对继任计划的重视。 “他已经在政府方面这样做了，他也希望在党内继续这样做，这通常与他在内阁中制定继任计划的方式大致相同，”他说。

自去年大选以来，三位新当选的国会议员担任了重要的内阁职务——交通部长萧正树、文化、社区及青年部长梁振英和人力部代部长刘嘉敏。扎基·穆罕默德先生也被任命为主管穆斯林事务的代部长。

萧先生、梁先生和刘女士目前不在中央执行委员会任职，而扎基先生在7月份被任命后被增选进入该委员会。

独立政治观察家 Felix Tan 预计他们将加入新的阵容，称这是“一个相当自然的进步，反映了他们在政府和党内日益增长的责任”。

政治咨询公司 Terra Corporate Affairs 的董事总经理 Malminderjit Singh 先生表示，他们的加入将加强黄先生对继任计划的重视。

“他已经在政府方面这样做了，他也希望在党内继续这样做，这通常与他在内阁中制定继任计划的方式大致相同，”他说。

年轻领导者挺身而出

黄之锋的前任李显龙在2006年首次以总理身份赢得大选后，面临党内选举，他保留了强大的第三代核心力量，并继续聘用林文兴担任主席。

在此之前，在人民行动党1992年的中央执行委员会选举中，吴作栋先生在就任总理两年后出任秘书长。辛格先生说，李显龙先生当时被任命为他的第一助理秘书长，这表明他是下一任总理的继任者。

观察人士表示，预计黄之锋先生会像大选后组建内阁一样，给该委员会打上自己的烙印，但他们也补充说，他们预计不会有根本性的改变。

2026年7月22日，吴培明先生、扎基·穆罕默德先生、萧杰弗里先生、黄伟伦先生、梁大卫先生和刘嘉敏女士在国家新闻中心（MDDI）举行的新闻发布会上。（图片：CNA/Raydza Rahman）

“他还有时间，因为2028年将再次举行中央执行委员会选举。渐进式变革可能是主题。这将是变革中的延续，”新加坡管理大学法学副教授陈永健说道。

陈副教授表示，4.5G 和 5G 时代的领导人预计会逐步增加他们的影响力，但黄先生仍然需要对第四代领导人保持信任。

“更大的意图是表明该党正在发展，新加坡也在发展，该党的最高领导层将反映这一点，”他说道，并补充说，中央执行委员会可能会有更多少数族裔和女性代表。

辛格先生说，尽管秘书长可以吸纳成员，但新成员仍然需要广泛的干部支持。

他指出，黄之锋先生手下有“一大批”高级政务部长和政务部长可供选择，他可能会从中挑选人选，组建一支更有活力的党内新人队伍。

费利克斯·陈博士表示，一到两名非政治职务的新任国会议员也可以进入中央执行委员会，这表明他们“注定将在未来几年在党内担任更重要的角色”。

辛格先生表示，另一个值得关注的进展是是否会任命第二位助理秘书长。该党目前唯一的助理秘书长是公共服务统筹部长兼国防部长陈振声。

新加坡国防部长陈振声于2026年5月30日出席第23届国际战略研究所香格里拉对话部长级圆桌会议。（图片：CNA/Ili Mansor）

他指出：“李显龙担任秘书长时，他的第一和第二助理秘书长分别是张志贤和尚达曼。” 他补充说，第二次任命可以扩大党的领导层储备，并表明还有哪些人可能被培养担任更高职位，包括未来颜金勇卸任时潜在的副总理人选。

资深人士让位

一些资深人士可能会让位给年轻成员，但观察人士表示，这种转变将以保留经验和机构知识的方式进行。

张医生表示，由于中央执行委员会席位有限（12 个选举产生的席位和最多 6 个增选席位），一些内阁成员可能会被排除在外。

“鉴于这很可能是第四代领导团队，我们可能会看到资深成员在党的日常运作中退居幕后，将空间让给更年轻的领导人，”她说。

辛格先生表示，黄之锋可能会保留“一个核心的高级领导人团队”作为顾问，就像他在内阁中所做的那样，并依靠他们来培养年轻的党内领导人。

现任委员会的三位最年长成员分别是74岁的李显龙高级部长、67岁的尚穆根高级部长和65岁的外交部长维文·巴拉克里希南。

陈副教授表示，虽然他不排除这三位资深领导人继续留在人民行动党中央执行委员会的可能性，但如果需要给更年轻的领导人腾出空间，这三人中的一位或多位可能会卸任。

2023年3月26日，新加坡总理李显龙与律政兼内政部长尚穆根出席崇邦综合发展项目奠基仪式。

他还补充说，李先生很可能会再次当选中央执行委员会成员，称他是该党前任秘书长，是“第三代和第四代领导人之间的重要纽带”。

然而，陈福林医生预计这两位资深部长都会留任。“虽然有些（资深成员）他可以舍弃，但在他目前的任期内，这两位部长很难被取代，”他说。

他承认，此前也有资深部长未曾担任中央执行委员会成员，最近的例子是张志贤先生和尚达曼先生。但陈医生表示，黄循财先生迄今为止一直倾向于在其执政团队中保留经验丰富的领导人。

“因此，他们的加入表明，中央执行委员会不仅仅是关于议会代表权，也是为了保留机构经验，并支持人民行动党的长期组织和领导需求，”他说。

观察人士表示，社会及家庭发展部长马善高可能会由扎基先生接任党副主席一职。

“这并不一定意味着马萨戈斯不再发挥作用，但该党可能会认为，逐步为下一代马来穆斯林领袖创造更多空间，让他们在党内和社区中建立自己的影响力，是有价值的，”陈菲利克斯博士说。

自 2020 年以来，每一届委员会都有非议员成员，观察人士预计这种情况还将继续。

在2020年大选中分别在盛港集选区和阿裕尼集选区落败的黄志明先生和赖维德先生，于当年被增选。同样在阿裕尼集选区落败的杨耀文先生，于2022年与黄志明先生一同被增选。

在两年前的中央执行委员会选举中，黄永康先生和他的前盛港选区队友蓝彬明被增选。黄永康先生、赖文杰先生和杨荣文先生在去年的大选中获胜后，均当选为国会议员。

“我确实希望黄英贤总理能够看到让非国会议员担任党内高层领导的好处。这是一种向人民行动党未赢得选区的选民表明，他们对党很重要，他们在党的决策和政策制定中都有代表的方式，”陈副教授说。

2026 年 2 月 13 日，全国职工总会秘书长黄志明在全国职工总会职业节上向求职者发表讲话。（照片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

陈副教授指出，吴先生主要是以劳工部长的身份参选的，他预计这次大选只会有一名未经选举的候选人。

他说，鉴于林医生来自盛港集选区，下一位非议员候选人可能来自阿裕尼集选区或后港。

陈福林博士表示，保留非国会议员将表明他们在党内拥有更长期的角色。

他表示，人民行动党可以看到他们在担任公职之外的经验和贡献的价值，可以将他们视为未来选举的潜在候选人，或者委派他们帮助识别、指导和吸引新的候选人。

然而，辛格先生表示，鉴于情况不断变化，他们能否入选下一届CEC阵容尚无定论。

他说：“我认为，一些非国会议员被引入中央执行委员会是为了巩固他们在上次大选前的党内支持率和地位。”他还补充说，重点可能已经转移到继任计划上，并让新上任的政治官员在党的最高领导机构中占有一席之地。

订阅我们的邮件，即可获取精选热点新闻和引人深思的文章。

订阅通知，第一时间获取突发新闻和精彩报道。

加入我们的频道，即可在您常用的聊天应用上获取当日热门文章。