S'pore ministers, MPs throw their weight behind Heng Swee Keat as choice for 4G leader

They seem pretty glad.

Jeanette Tan | November 24, 2018, 04:12 PM

It's now clear, our two frontrunners for next Prime Minister of Singapore have been picked by the fourth-generation political leaders:

In fact, the fourth generation political leaders managed to gather even more political office-holders than previously to sign off this statement they issued to the media:

"Over the past few years, we have been working closely together and getting to know one another better – collaborating in committees and taskforces, developing and implementing policies, and walking the ground.

We thank our senior colleagues for their guidance and mentorship, and for graciously giving us opportunities to take on greater responsibilities.

We have a diverse team, comprising members with different experiences, as well as complementary skills and strengths.

We have been carefully considering the issue of leadership for the team. In January, we issued a statement that we will choose a leader “in good time”. Now we have a consensus that the team will be led by Swee Keat.

We also note that Swee Keat has asked Chun Sing to be his deputy, and that Chun Sing has agreed to do so. We endorse and support Swee Keat and Chun Sing as our leaders.

We will continue to work cohesively as a team, and forge a strong partnership with all Singaporeans. We are united in our purpose of serving Singaporeans to the best of our abilities."

They included a grand total of 32 political office-holders including Heng and Chan himself.

And they are (take a deep breath) - Amrin Amin, Baey Yam Keng, Chan Chun Sing, Chee Hong Tat, Desmond Choo, Grace Fu, Heng Chee How, Heng Swee Keat, Indranee Rajah, S Iswaran, Janil Puthucheary, Amy Khor, Koh Poh Koon, Lam Pin Min, Desmond Lee, Low Yen Ling, Masagos Zulkifli, Mohamad Maliki Osman, Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Denise Phua, Ng Chee Meng, Ong Ye Kung, Sim Ann, Sun Xueling, Tan Chuan-Jin, Sam Tan, Tan Wu Meng, Teo Ho Pin, Josephine Teo, Edwin Tong, Lawrence Wong, Zaqy Mohamad

So it's Heng as first among equals, to be supported by Chan as his deputy.

And the party's leadership (outgoing and new) has also banded together to share their collective praise of the two men.

Here's a collection of them:

PM, DPMs & coordinating ministers

We would all have seen PM Lee's by now, published on the party's page:

DPM Tharman:

DPM Teo Chee Hean:

Screenshot from DPM Teo's Facebook post

The ministers/committee office holders

Starting with the two men of the hour themselves:

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat/ PAP 1st Assistant Secretary-General:

Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing/ PAP 2nd Assistant Secretary-General:

Education minister Ong Ye Kung/ PAP Assistant Treasurer:

Minister for Community development, Culture & Youth Grace Fu / Organising Secretary:

Other committee members:

Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong/ PAP CEC member:

Foreign Affairs minister Vivian Balakrishnan/ PAP CEC member:

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin/PAP CEC member:

Certainly a happy outcome to what Singaporeans have been waiting for for more than a year now. :)

Top photo via Lawrence Wong's Facebook post