Written by Ng E-Jay
07 August 2013
There are reasons, solely my opinion of course, why the People’s Action Party (PAP) may call for an early general election in 2014 or 2015, rather than in 2016.
First, the previous general election in 2011 and the coming one which constitutionally must be held no later than 2016 (within five years after the first sitting of Parliament), are about preparing the PAP to operate in the post-Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) era.
The post-LKY era presents myriad challenges for the PAP leadership. LKY represents the strong, unwavering authoritarianism that has guided the PAP since its inception in 1959. Since the PAP took power, LKY has literally been the party — providing the foundations of its ideology, its philosophy, its policies, and the way it handles (or manhandles) political opposition. What the PAP has been is essentially what the man Lee Kuan Yew has been.
With the political influence of LKY rapidly converging to zero, the PAP leadership must find its footing without the comforting umbrella of his iron fist, and find a way to retain power on its own steam. This process cannot depend on Mr Lee Hsien Loong alone, for Lee Junior does not quite have the hard aggressive, authoritarian personality that Lee Senior had. The son does not have half his father’s guts, wits, quickness, and viciousness of mind and spirit.
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