PAP appoints Lawrence Wong as deputy secretary-general
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has been appointed to the new post of deputy secretary-general of the People’s Action Party (PAP), after the party’s top decision-making body met on Saturday.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who was previously an assistant secretary-general, has been appointed PAP chairman.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee has also been appointed assistant secretary-general, alongside Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.
In a statement, the PAP said that the new deputy secretary-general appointment, in addition to two assistant secretary-general appointments, is in line with plans for party leadership transition.
“The deputy secretary-general will exercise the roles and responsibilities of the secretary-general in the absence of the secretary-general,” the PAP said.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is PAP’s secretary-general.
The PAP central executive committee (CEC) has also co-opted four new members: Alex Yeo, who is a member of the PAP team that contested in the Aljunied GRC in the 2020 General Election, East Coast GRC MP Cheryl Chan, labor chief Ng Chee Meng and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng.
Two others, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong and Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo, were earlier co-opted into the CEC, as they had received the 13th and 14th highest number of votes.
Tong is one of the organizing secretaries for the party, alongside Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.
The party treasurer is Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, and the assistant treasurer, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli remains the party’s vice-chairman.
The PAP also detailed other appointments in the statement. Wong is now also the PAP’s headquarters executive committee chairman, replacing Chan, who is now the vice-chairman.
Manpower Minister Tan will chair the party’s Seniors Group, taking over from Desmond Lee, while Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sim Ann will take over Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo as chairman of the party’s Women’s Wing.
Teo will take on the role of adviser to the party’s policy forum. The role was previously held by Wong.
In early November, the PAP elected its top decision-making body during its biennial party conference at Resorts World Convention Centre that was attended by more than 3,000 party members.