By now, most of you would know that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong will be taking over Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong's role on May 15, 2024.

But beyond his love for dogs, having a penchant for music, particularly the guitar, and being the face of the Covid-19 Multi-ministry Taskforce (MTF), who is the 51-year-old soon-to-be PM?

In an in-depth interview on May 10, just five days before his swearing-in, Wong let Mothership and other local media into his orbit, to give the public an insight into who he is and what to expect of him and his government in the days after he becomes Singapore's fourth PM.

Who he is

Wong was born on Dec. 18, 1972 to an "ordinary family". He was the second and youngest son to a sales manager father and teacher mother.

He has fond memories from growing up in Marine Parade, where he attended a PAP Community Foundation (PCF) kindergarten, Haig Boys' Primary, where his mother taught, Tanjong Katong Secondary Technical School and then Victoria Junior College before reading economics in the United States (U.S.).

How he became an economist

Most people know that Wong began his career at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in August 1997, but here's something most people do not know: he had been rejected by the Public Service Commission before becoming an economist, Wong revealed this to interviewers on May 10.

Along the way, Wong considered leaving MTI for the private sector if not for his "very good bosses" in the civil service.

"I figured, I can do economics work in the government, I can do exactly the same kind of economics work in the private sector too and they are paying better.

So, the thought did cross my mind. Maybe I should just leave and join the private sector, maybe a bank."

Found his calling

His bosses were Khaw Boon Wan and Lim Siong Guan, the permanent secretary at MTI and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) respectively at that time, who persuaded him to stay on so that he could get exposed to "more meaningful and more interesting" policy work.

Wong heeded Khaw and Lim's advice and, as time went by, became progressively more involved in policy work, which helped him find his calling in public service and he ditched the idea of joining the private sector altogether.

"And I found all of that very meaningful because that is the kind of work I would not have been able to do in the private sector.

So I decided I did not have to leave. In fact, I did not want to leave. "

He stayed in the public service for 14 years and at PM Lee's invitation, joined the People's Action Party (PAP) in 2011, which was an easy decision for him.

"In 2011, when Prime Minister Lee invited me to enter politics, I said, 'Look, this is my calling, I decided that being in public service is what I would like to do'. And so, I saw entering politics as a continuation of that.

And that is why I have been in politics since then."

A private person

Wong was under no illusions when he entered politics; he knew his private life would come under public scrutiny, and he was prepared for it.

"And being in politics, of course, it is different from being a civil servant ... you have to open yourself up to the public and you have to be prepared for that."

You would think that after 13 years in politics, Wong would be used to being under the spotlight but that does not appear to be the case.

Before the cameras started rolling on May 10, Wong, who had barely settled in after arriving, noticed the number of cameras in the interview room, and paused very briefly before quipping that the amount seemed "excessive".

It is important to bear in mind that Wong spent 14 years behind the curtain, so that his ministers can shine brighter under the spotlight.

And of his 13 years in politics, only four were spent directly under the spotlight when he co-chaired the MTF during the Covid-19 pandemic.

But at his core, Wong is ultimately a private person and while he may not readily volunteer information about himself, he is prepared to share, if people ask, and on his own terms.

"If people would like to ask more information of me, find out more about me, I will be very happy to share," Wong replied to an interviewer who asked him how much of his personal life he is prepared to show Singaporeans after becoming PM.

But he appeared to draw the line at information about his family.

"The good thing in Singapore is that where politics is concerned, while there is exposure, ... and there is less privacy, I think generally we keep families out of it.

Families are separate. Our families did not choose to be politicians. We are the ones who took the step forward."

Wong is married to Loo Tze Lui. The couple has no children.

Never imagined he would be Singapore's PM

Having said that, Wong let the media in during the interview on May 10 about his wife's reaction to his becoming PM, sharing that she was surprised — both of them were.

"So actually, at that time, I was surprised and I went back home to tell my wife, she was surprised too, but we had been prepared for it because she knew I was part of this process."

Wong said he never expected nor imagined he would become a minister and much less, the next PM when he entered politics.

"First of all, when I made that shift, it was not about, 'Oh, I'm making the shift to be a minister.'

You do not know what role you take on when you enter politics. No one tells you. So you just know that you are entering politics and only later they assign you an appointment."

When the previous 4G leader DPM Heng Swee Keat stepped aside in 2021, the fourth generation (4G) leaders had to regroup and choose a new leader.

"We agreed very early on that we would not want to rule anyone out," Wong said, applying the same principle to himself during the leadership selection process, "I should not rule myself out. I should let the process take its course."

Wong said he only knew that he had been chosen as the next 4G leader when Khaw and PM Lee told him.

This explains why Wong said that while he and his wife were surprised, they nevertheless accepted the outcome.

"And we knew that going into this we would accept the outcome of the process.

And if this is the result, then I would step up and I would take on the responsibility. And that is why I am here, where I am now."

"I’m a product of the Singapore system"

Considering how he grew up in a Marine Parade Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat and is now becoming Singapore's next PM, an interviewer asked Wong to respond to the people who say he embodies what it means to be within Singapore's system and social compact.

"Well, I am a product of the Singapore system," Wong replied without missing a beat, "The social compact is in many ways, the essence of the Singapore story."

He said the compact is more than giving every Singaporean opportunities to be "the best possible version of themselves", but also ensuring that all Singaporeans have access to the basics in life and have multiple different pathways to success, while catching and supporting those who fall on hard times.

Unity in diversity

But Wong is cognisant that the path forward is not easy nor straight and conceded that a shared consensus and the Singaporean identity will be harder to reach as society evolves and becomes more diverse.

"I think we will continue to move in that direction. And so the way forward is for us to embrace that diversity, continue to engage one another, and at the same time, work even harder to find unity amidst diversity, to find common ground."

That said, Wong acknowledged that there will be instances when there are differences in views and the government may have to embark on policies that are necessary and important but not so popular.

"And in such instances, then the government will have to carry the decision."

But that will not always be the case and the government does not always have to take the lead, he said.

In other instances when the issues are sensitive and different groups have different views, Wong said the government's role is "more of a facilitator, a listener, an honest broker" who will then find the best way for Singapore to move forward together.

"We are prepared to relook everything ... we are prepared to re-examine all of our assumptions and consider under different circumstances, different societal expectations and needs; how might we do things different?

And we have already started this process because the Forward Singapore work has already started."

Prefers to let his work speak for himself

An interviewer brought up Wong's recent interview with The Economist, when the interviewer quoted founding PM Lee Kuan Yew saying that whoever governs Singapore must "have that iron in him" and asked Wong if he likewise has "iron inside" of him.

Wong had replied then, "I believe when push comes to shove and the time comes to take hard decisions, I would do so, so long as the decision is in the interest of Singapore and Singaporeans."

Wong said he has the "conviction" to make "hard decisions" that he thinks are right, even if they are not the most popular, but he will not assume to know all the answers and will keep an ear to the ground to find the best solutions and outcomes.

Referencing this, the interviewer on May 10 asked Wong if he would lead Singapore with an "iron fist encased with velvet gloves" and, if that is not the case, to describe his leadership style.

In response, Wong chuckled before reaffirming what he said earlier and during The Economist interview.

"I will listen, I will engage widely. But at the end of the day, I will have to carry the final decisions and bear the ultimate responsibility of decisions taken.

And when I do so, I will have to explain to the public, especially when it comes down to decisions that may not be so popular, but the government feels are important for Singapore."

He quipped, "I do not know if that means 'iron fist in velvet gloves' or whatever other metaphor you want to use."

"But I think over time, Singaporeans will get a better sense of me and my leadership style and, you know, these things will play out and time will tell.

I don't have to write my legacy today. Hopefully, at the end of my time and my tenure, I will leave people to write my legacy and what kind of Prime Minister I am.

But for now, entering this role and taking on this responsibility, I will only endeavour to do my best and to serve with all my heart, Singapore and Singaporeans."

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Top image from Lawrence Wong/Facebook

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