Still in his 50s, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam is likely to be one of the 3G Ministers young enough to play a big role in Singapore's fourth generation political leadership.

Perhaps that's why he felt that it was the right time to weigh in on the 4G leadership speculation, offering some clarity in terms of what has transpired so far this year.

Future leader to emerge

Speaking to about 200 people at an event on corporate governance, organised by the Securities Investors Association Singapore, Shanmugam provided an update that a team of leaders is already in place.

He also shared the ruling People's Action Party's (PAP) approach in selecting future leaders.

This was what Shanmugam told the audience in terms of a leadership team already in place, according to Channel NewsAsia:

"In fact many of the policies are now being thought through, discussed, even designed by a younger group of ministers who meet without the PM or the senior ministers present. Every week...

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".

And that he offered a preview to the most important election of 2018:

"This year, there will be a party conference in Singapore, (in) PAP, which happens once every two years. There will be a CEC elected... 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...

Next year will be an important year because PM said he would step down in four years.

So look out for the CEC (to be elected later this year), look out for changes next year that should indicate to you how things are working out."

What is the CEC?

The Central Executive Committee (CEC) election is where cadre members elect 12 members to PAP’s highest decision-making body.

The PAP leaders are elected for a two-year term, and the last election was in 2015.

In other words, this election may lead to the selection of the PAP leaders who will have a role in deciding the next PAP Secretary-General.

Yes, the selection of the PAP king-makers and not the selection of the next Prime Minister, just yet.

This is because PM Lee Hsien Loong is likely to continue as the PAP Secretary-General in 2018 and 2020.

After all, PM has stated his intention to step down by the time he turns 70, which is in 2022.

Who is the CEC?

This was the membership of the PAP CEC in Jan 2017:

1. Khaw Boon Wan Chairman

2. Yaacob Ibrahim Vice-Chairman

3. Lee Hsien Loong Secretary-General

4. Teo Chee Hean 1st Assistant Secretary-General

5. Tharman Shanmugaratnam 2nd Assistant Secretary-General

6. Lim Swee Say Treasurer

7. K Shanmugam Assistant Treasurer

8. Gan Kim Yong Organising Secretary

9. Chan Chun Sing Organising Secretary

10. Ong Ye Kung Organising Secretary

11. Grace Fu Member

12. Heng Swee Keat Member

13. Halimah Yacob Member*

14. Vivian Balakrishnan Member

15. Tan Chuan-Jin Member

16. Masagos Zulkifli Member

17. Sitoh Yih Pin Member

18. Murali Pillai Member

19. Josephine Teo Member

* Halimah Yacob has resigned from the party, and Josephine Teo was co-opted to replace her.

Who needs to be (elected) in the CEC though?

That's the 4G leadership question.

In the 18-member CEC, there are already six 4G leaders (Chan, Ong, Fu, Heng, Tan, and Masagos).

However, only three (Chan, Heng, Fu) were elected in 2015 for garnering the top 12 highest votes among the PAP leaders.

With the retirement of Yaacob and Lim as Ministers, and the departure of Halimah as a PAP member, there are likely up to three spaces that would be vacant.

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In fact, the PAP CEC is likely to experience movement among the top seven -- Lee, Khaw, Teo, Tharman, Yaacob, Lim, and Shanmugam -- for the first time since 2010.

But all eyes will be on 4G leaders like Ong, Masagos and Tan on whether they can be elected on their own or be co-opted by the party leaders later.

Top photo from K Shanmugam Facebook page