by Bertha Henson
IT’S not who made it into the People’s Action Party (PAP) Central Executive Committee (CEC) that is interesting, but who didn’t.
The PAP elected 12 members for its CEC on Dec 4, last year. Here’s the list and their designations:
Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Secretary-general
Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Chairman
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Vice Chairman
Mr Teo Chee Hean, First assistant secretary-general
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Second assistant secretary-general
Mr Lim Swee Say, Treasurer
Mr K Shanmugam, Assistant treasurer
Mr Chan Chun Sing, Organising secretary
Mr Gan Kim Yong, Organising secretary
Ms Grace Fu
Mr Heng Swee Keat
Madam Halimah Yacob
Then it co-opted another two, assumed to be the top ballot winners among the list presented to cadres. They are Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, both Cabinet ministers.
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According to the PAP Constitution, the CEC can bring in four more members into the fold. It’s decided to bring on board two Ministers, Masagos Zulkifli and Ong Ye Kung.
Then it also decided to give a nod of appreciation to Mr Sitoh Yih Pin who soldiered on in Potong Pasir despite losing two elections and wrested it from long-time veteran politician Chiam See Tong in 2011.
The newest addition to Parliament, Mr Murali Pillai, who took on Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan in a straight fight in the last by-election was also invited in. They are the only two backbenchers on the CEC.
Mr Ong stepped into the shoes of Dr Ng Eng Hen, a PAP organising secretary who didn’t put his name up for the election. This means Mr Ong joins Mr Chan and Mr Gan as organising secretaries, which is seen as a pretty big deal since they link the CEC to the party branches.
So who’s not in?
Among the Cabinet ministers, Mr Ng Chee Meng and Mr Lawrence Wong aren’t in the CEC. They’ve been touted as being among those in the running for Prime Minister. Could they have been roped in for other jobs to help the CEC? Well, Ministers of State Teo Ser Luck and Sam Tan have been designated as assistant organising secretaries and Dr Janil Puthucheary will be heading Young PAP.
Mr Wong was co-opted into the last CEC – but not this time.
As for Mr Ng, he entered politics at the same time as Mr Ong.
Doubtless, people will be re-reading the tea leaves again.
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The post Who’s Who and Who’s NOT in the PAP CEC appeared first on The Middle Ground.