Ask most Singaporeans about the one critical factor for Singapore's success, and many (if not all) would probably answer: Lee Kuan Yew.
But THAT is a simplified answer for a complex answer. Because LKY did a lot of things.
The reason people asks for the "Secrets to Singapore's Success" is because they (might) want to replicate Singapore's success. "LKY" is not a good answer, because they can't have LKY.
Not because we are selfish and don't want to share LKY. But because he's dead.
Anyway, someone asked our Ambassador-at-large, Tommy Koh (formerly our representative at the UN) what was the secret of Singapore's success.
He diplomatically sidestepped the question, then asked 50 of Singapore's leaders in the civil service, past and present, for their take on it, compiled their essays into a book, and made bank!
I am not Tommy Koh and I don't have access to 50 great movers, shakers, and thinkers of Singapore.
So think of this as a thoughtful Singaporean's Man on the Street answer to a question a visitor (say, Tourist) might ask.
1) Leadership and Integrity
Incorruptible leadership and integrity is I think the first critical factor (and somewhat generalises the "Lee Kuan Yew" answer. We were blessed with leaders in the first generation (the 60s and 70s) who were men of integrity, honestly, sincerity, and who were genuinely committed to the prosperity and development of Singapore, and not out to enrich themselves and pillage the country of its wealth.
But, you may ask, how do we ensure that we have incorruptible leaders of integrity, sincerity, honesty and who genuinely have the interest of our country at heart?
Luck of the draw.
We were just incredibly lucky.
Okay. (says the sceptical tourist), you were lucky to have the first generation of leaders who were men of integrity and committed to the development of Singapore and Singaporeans. But Lee Kuan Yew stepped down in 1990, and his successor, Goh Chok Tong, handed over to the current PM, Lee Hsien Loong in 2004. The People's Action Party (PAP) has governed Singapore since 1959, from self-government as a British Colony to an independent state in the Federation of Malaya, and eventually as a sovereign, independent nation-city island state.
Through 60+ years, the PAP won elections and governed Singapore continuously. The original leaders have all passed away, and Singapore is now looking for the Fourth Generation of leaders and their 4th Prime Minister.
If the first PM was a man of integrity and honesty, and Singapore had simply been lucky to have someone like Lee Kuan Yew, was the second and third PM also simply luck?
And will the eventual 4th PM also be chosen as a matter of luck?
And the answer is, no.
We were lucky to have true leaders in the first generation. And we were also lucky that the first generation of leaders also instituted a leadership "programme" to seek out potential leaders, test them in positions of leadership, groom those with promising qualities, and eventually elevate them to ministerial positions (testing them again) and finally selecting the best to lead the team.
Take Mah Bow Tan, for example. When he was first fielded as a candidate, it was up against Chiam See Tong in Potong Pasir. Mah was a sterling PAP candidate. His scholastic achievement was top tier. Lee Kuan Yew came out to bat for him in the hustings. Lee famously (or infamously) compared Mah's sterling scholarship against Chiam's "late bloomer" record. While Mah was an "A" scholar, Chiam only got his Law degree when he was 40. Lee pointed this out to make the case that the PAP had a process of selecting only the brightest minds to lead Singapore.
(Unfortunately, for Mah, the voters of Potong Pasir interpreted Lee's endorsement as more "elitist", and saw Chiam's perseverance and persistence to be more in line with the Everyman's struggle, and voted accordingly.)
Mah would "ride the coattails" into parliament under the Group Representative Constituency (GRC) scheme where voters would vote for a team of MPs, ostensibly to ensure minority representation, but perhaps to ensure that MPs who are seen as representative of the people who are "easy wins" could also bring under their wings, the less personable "policy wonks" that the PAP need to actually come up with the policies to run the country. At the same time, internally, the PAP machinery would nurture and guide the policy wonks to be more personable, approachable, and ultimately, electable on their own rights.
By the time Mah stepped down from politics, he was seen as a veteran politicians with credibility and standing.
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In handing over power, Lee Kuan Yew set the example by letting the second generation ministers choose the "first among equals" to be their prime minister.
And then the third generation chose theirs.
And now the fourth generation of leaders will choose their future Prime Minister, and the older generation of leaders will deferentially stay out of the process. They chose Heng Swee Keat to be the PM-designate. And so the matter was settled.
Except that the hand over of the PMship was delayed by the Pandemic - PM Lee did not feel it right to hand over leadership in the midst of a crisis, so he intended to maintain the status quo until after the pandemic. So he stayed as PM, and is now 70 years old.
Meanwhile Heng Swee Keat, the PM-to-be had reached 61 years of age (as of April 2022). A year earlier (around his 60th birthday), he had considered his age, and asked the PAP leadership to withdraw him from consideration as the next PM. The reason was his age. At 60 then, and with no idea (then) as to when the pandemic would be contained enough for leadership to pass onto the next generation, Heng would be close to his mid-60s, and he would immediately have to consider whom to succeed him. As such he said that he would prefer a younger candidate be considered so that the new PM-designate would have a longer "runway" to get things done.
The former PM, Goh Chok Tong, commended Heng, “He has put the interests of Singapore first," adding,
“I commend DPM Heng Swee Keat for his self-sacrifice in stepping aside as leader of the 4G. It takes courage and selflessness to do this when one is only a step away from being prime minister."
Courage. Selflessness. Self-sacrifice.
Or did Heng chicken out when he faced the daunting task of leading Singapore?
Sixty or even sixty-five isn't old in politics. many world leaders are older, or seek office when they are in the 60s, 70s, or even 80s.
So 60+ isn't old. Look at Biden.
Unless you're in Singapore.
Our 3rd PM has been actively seeking his successor for the last 5+ years, thwarted by the pandemic in the last 3 years.
So Heng's decision was not... helpful for succession. But may be better for Singapore's long-term leadership.
As of this writing (Feb 2023) the PM-designate is Lawrence Wong. And the signs are he would be taking over in due course.
The PAP's usual practice is for the current PM to hand over to the new PM while he still has at least 2 years of the current term, to prove himself, and to establish his leadership before the nation goes to the polls.
The last General Election was in 2020. The next election can be called within the next two years.
It's about time.
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