Speculation is rife that Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say, along with Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang and Communications Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, will step down after the Cabinet reshuffle later this month.

By virtue of being next in command, Second Manpower Minister Josephine Teo seems likely to succeed Lim.

While personal ambitions remain a no-no in Singapore politics, she did, however, dropped some lowkey hints during an interview with the mainstream media on April 17, 2018.

Tried to be casual about things

As the only Second Minister in the three aforementioned ministries, Josephine Teo, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs, is next in line to succeed Lim.

And by the way, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam doesn't seem likely to step down anytime soon.

But as mentioned, a proclivity for staying humble is key to the political scene in Singapore -- similar to the whole race to be the next Prime Minister (Yes, what race?).

Taking the same approach, Teo could only lowkey hint at her next appointment.

The Straits Times quoted her, saying:

"When it comes to (the Manpower Ministry) I have a much longer engagement because I did spend quite a number of years in the labour movement."

She was NTUC assistant secretary-general from 2007 to 2011 when Lim was Labour Chief. Lim later joined MOM in 2015.

In terms of experience, that's almost five years of experience in the manpower sphere as compared to the eight months in Ministry of Home Affairs.

Paid tribute to Lim Swee Say

She then did the most PAP thing by not answering the question but praising her potential predecessor. 

When asked whether she will assume the role as Manpower Minister, she would only say she and Lim have a good working relationship.

She then praised Lim:

"Lim Swee Say is a very good minister -- his energy and his many years of experience in the labour movement."

Teo also positioned Lim as a mentor-like figure in her career saying: "We've worked together for more than 20 years since EDB days."

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Dropped pertinent questions about the future of manpower in Singapore just because

Reporters next asked her about her role in drafting the government's agenda for the President's Address when the new Parliament session opens next month.

Sensing the opening to score points talk about important manpower stuff, she rattled off a series of questions.

"Where MOM is concerned, top of what Singaporeans want to know are: What kind of a future will it be for working Singaporeans? Will we be able to get better jobs? Will we be able to earn higher incomes? Will we be able to find a workforce that is more inclusive and will we be able to find workplaces that are more progressive? Will we have security in retirement?"

Quite an extensive research.