Some promising PAP candidates identified for next
election: PM Lee
SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said the
People's Action Party (PAP) has identified some candidates,
including potential office-holders, for the next General Election
due by February 2012.
They are mainly in their thirties and forties.
Mr Lee, who is also the PAP's Secretary-General, was the main
speaker at the party's convention on Sunday.
He highlighted why Singapore's next General Election will be
crucial, as it must produce leaders who can take over his
generation of Cabinet colleagues.
Mr Lee said: "We have made progress, we have got people who will be
part of this team, but we do not have a complete team and we must
produce such a line up by the next General Elections - 2011 or
2012."
By then, Mr Lee believes Singapore will have a new slate of leaders
who can instil confidence among investors and Singaporeans and lead
the country for the next 20 years .
Mr Lee said: "We have kept clean, resolutely against corruption, in
the Party in the society, in the government, at the
grassroots.
"If there is a case we will investigate; if a wrong has been done,
we will act on it...If you do not keep the party clean, you are
finished."
The PAP brought in 24 new Members of Parliament during the last
General Election.
On the new candidates, Mr Lee said they grew up in the years of
prosperity and did not experience turbulence and hardship.
But he believes they are just as committed as the earlier
generations of MPs.
Mr Lee said: "This leadership for Singapore can only come from the
PAP, and if the PAP lets Singapore down, we are all in big trouble,
not only PAP but (also) Singapore. Therefore, the PAP must never
let Singapore down; (we must) make sure when we press the button,
things work."
He added that the new MPs have done well and have established
themselves with voters.
Mr Lee also told his audience of party activists that the new
office-holders have made significant contributions as well, and
have gained confidence in presenting and defending policies in
Parliament and on the ground.
Prime Minister Lee also reminded the party convention that
Singapore will be amending the Constitution, which will result in
more Non Constituency MPs, smaller Group Representation
Constituencies and more Single Member Constituencies. That means
there would be more contests in the next General Election. So Mr
Lee's message to the party activists is: never assume that your
division will get a walkover.
Party activists asked questions about the selection process of
candidates after Mr Lee's speech.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Second Assistant
Secretary-General of the PAP, said: "If you look at our party, we
have got a successful blend between people who have come up from
the ground and people who have come in from outside the party, and
come in as MPs in the last elections; we have several who have come
from the ground.
"Lim Biow Chuan and Sam Tan were branch secretaries, so we have
people who have come from the ground and who are able to hold their
own in Parliament and represent the people.
"But we also need to make sure that we bring in talented people
from outside. We must be open to ideas and open to people. So long
as they subscribe to our party ideals, our values and want to do
well for Singapore and Singaporeans, we should be prepared to
accept them.
The PAP leaders stressed that the party's success formula is to
ensure that it gets its politics right so that it can attract good
people to enter politics.
- CNA/so/ms