Lee Hsien Loong: I will transfer power plan | Lee Hsien Loong | Power
According to foreign media reports, on the evening of the 20th local time, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stated in his national television speech at the 2023 National Day Mass Conference that his plan to transfer power has now returned to the right track, and more and more decision-making power has been delegated to the fourth generation leadership team. Meanwhile, he denies that recent "controversial events" will delay this process.
According to Singapore Asia News, on the same day, Lee Hsien Loong stated in his speech that his initial plan was to transfer power and step down as prime minister before his 70th birthday in 2022. However, the COVID-19 epidemic disrupted this plan. At that time, he promised the Singaporean people that he would work with the current and fourth generation leadership teams to lead the country "through difficulties". But now that the COVID-19 epidemic is over, his handover plan is back on track.
The former leader of the fourth generation leadership team in Singapore, Wang Ruijie, was once seen as the successor to Lee Hsien Loong. However, in 2021, he resigned due to "age and health" reasons and dropped a "heavy bomb" in Singapore's politics.
In July, political scandals occurred frequently in Singapore's political arena. Transport Minister Yi Huaren, who was once considered a potential successor, was arrested on July 11th on suspicion of corruption and conflicts of interest. He is the first cabinet member in Singapore to be suspected of corruption in nearly 40 years.
Following that, on July 17th, Speaker of the National Assembly Chen Chuanren and People's Action Party member Zhong Lihui withdrew from the party and resigned from their seats due to extramarital affairs.
In his speech on the 20th, Lee Hsien Loong mentioned that "there have been several incidents involving political figures recently, which have made the Chinese people feel uneasy.". The Singapore government is addressing these issues comprehensively and transparently, emphasizing that they will not affect the timeline for succession.
"I assure everyone that these events will not delay my power transfer schedule. We are getting back on track," said Lee Hsien Loong.
According to the relevant regulations of the Singapore Constitution, the next general election will be held no later than November 2025.
Lee Hsien Loong had previously stated that if the ruling People's Action Party wins the next general election, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Huang Xuncai, will succeed as Prime Minister.