‘Leaders become great not because of their power; but be- cause of their ability to empower others.’
John Maxwell, American author
TODAY, May 15, Singapore gets a new prime minister, its fourth since the island republic became independent in 1965.
Lawrence Wong, 51, succeeds Lee Hsien Loong, 72, as prime minister in a leadership transition that was put in place more than two years ago.
Singapore’s success story has been the envy of many and much of its achievements, progress and development were due to the nation’s visionary and disciplined leaders.
The nation’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, had a clear vision for the country’s development and pursued policies that focused on economic growth, social stability and national unity.
Kuan Yew’s successors, Goh Chok Tong (PM from 1990-2004) and Hsien Loong (2004 to 2024), continued with their founding father’s visions and programmes.
The 34-year combined tenure of Goh and Hsien Loong as prime minister has seen Singapore made greater strides with effective governance, long-term planning and a resilient mindset. This has contributed immensely to Singapore’s remarkable success story as a prosperous, stable and forward-looking nation.
Today, Lawrence Wong takes over the helm of the nation. He has a two-year head start to prepare himself for the onerous tasks
ahead.
This smooth leadership transition in Singapore is indeed laudable. I have been following Wong’s posts in Facebook where he updated Singaporeans regularly on the transition.
Yes, Wong has started endearing himself to his fellow Singaporeans and I think that is an excellent move for he needs their support as he rolls out his programmes for the nation in time to come. For Wong, it pays to be tech-savvy.
Imagine this. Last Monday, two days before Wong officially becomes prime minister, he has already announced his cabinet line-up. I’m not sure I’ve heard of such a plan of action initiated by an incoming chief executive elsewhere.
There is something about Singapore’s political leaders which should be emulated by others. A smooth leadership transition is like a well-oiled machine – it keeps things moving forward without unnecessary friction.
We do not have to look far to understand how messy and unstable a new government can be without a smooth transition.
Sadly, Malaysia is an example of political instability because of intense power struggles and deep-rooted rivalry among political warlords.
We were a laughing stock when we had five prime ministers in five years, from 2018 to 2022. First there was Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak ending his tenure, then we saw the return of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, followed by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Ask me and I dare say for certain that even now, Anwar does not have a successor in mind. There is no one to groom;
hence, don’t expect a smooth leadership transition in Malaysia with the current political climate.
But for the leaders of Singapore, they are aware that a smooth transition benefits everyone involved by promoting a sense of security and enabling a seamless progression toward shared goals.
Kuan Yew, Chok Tong and Hsien Loong were aware that a smooth transition allows for continuity in vision and strategy,
maintains stability within the party and community and fosters trust and confidence among stakeholders.
One more positive thing about these three prime ministers – their willingness to let go after they know that they have a capable successor in place.
As Hsien Loong had narrated, he was prepared to step down as prime minister in 2021 and allow his long-time deputy PM, Heng Swee Keat, to succeed him.
However, Heng was unprepared to take up the job saying that he was “too old” to become PM. For the record, Heng is 62 while Wong is 51 – an 11-year difference. This is something we must applaud the political leaders of Singapore – they do not overstay their welcome.
In Malaysia, we would also want to be PM even if we are way into our nineties. Well, we had a 92-year-old prime minister in 2018.
On 14 April 2022, Wong was selected as the leader of the PAP’s fourth-generation (4G) team, succeeding Heng, who had stepped down as 4G leader a year earlier.
Wong received an “overwhelming majority” of support in the consultation process, surpassing that of Ong Ye Kung and Chan Chun Sing, his cabinet colleagues and co-contestants in the 4G leadership race.
Surely, Singaporeans have a high expectation of their new PM to deliver. I like to say that I believe Wong will do his utmost for his country and his fellow Singaporeans.
His effectiveness as PM would hinges on his leadership abilities, including his vision, strategic thinking, decision-making and ability to inspire and unite people.
Singapore’s economy is a crucial aspect of its success, so Wong’s competence in economic policies, managing external challenges, promoting innovation and sustaining growth will be closely scrutinised. As a trained economist, Wong is expected to shine in his chosen field.
Godspeed, Lawrence Wong.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
