Calvin Cheng cautions: “The PAP needs to remember how to be a political party”

Singapore — Former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Calvin Cheng took to social media to say that the era of Lee Kuan Yew-style politics was over.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday (Apr 13), Mr Cheng wrote about politics in Singapore.

“For half a century, the PAP was the beneficiary of a strong, capable and charismatic leader, Lee Kuan Yew.

“LKY built up a unique political party that came to value technocratic competence over political skills. This was because he provided that political leadership”, Mr Cheng wrote.

He explained that even though candidates from the civil service and military lacking charisma, oratorical skills and salesmanship were co-opted into the party, the late Mr Lee’s leadership was there to guide them.

Though Singapore went to the polls in September 2015, just six months after Mr Lee’s death in March 2015, Mr Cheng contended: “2020 was the first real post-LKY General Election and the PAP suffered its greatest defeat in history.”

Seeming to call for change, Mr Cheng said that the PAP cadres, their members, supporters and associates need to remember that “We are in the post-LKY era” and that “The politician needs to win elections.” “If you don’t win, you can’t govern,” he added.

“The PAP needs to remember how to be a political party,” he wrote.

Following Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat’s decision to step aside, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has appointed Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean Acting Prime Minister.

Singapore is in a state of transition, of political liminality, until the next head of the fourth-generation People’s Action Party (PAP) leadership team and Prime Minister is chosen. /TISG