PAP elects 39th central executive committee, top decision body intact

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) elected its 39th central executive committee (CEC) on Sunday (Oct 25), with the party's top decision body remaining intact.

Over 2,000 party cadres casted their votes, choosing from a list of 19 recommended candidates, at the biennial conference held at the Singapore Expo.

According to party insiders, a core group of seven candidates emerged as the preferred slate among the cadres: Lawrence Wong, Lee Hsien Loong, Desmond Lee, Chan Chun Sing, Masagos Zulkifli, K. Shanmugam and Grace Fu.

The other 12 candidates on the list were: Alex Yam, Chee Hong Tat, Edwin Tong, Indranee Rajah, Jasmin Lau, Jeffrey Siow, Josephine Teo, Ong Ye Kung, Sim Ann, Tan See Leng, Vivian Balakrishnan and Zaqy Mohamad.

In no particular order, the 12-member 39th CEC comprises:

• Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
• Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong
• Senior Minister K. Shanmugam
• Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing
• Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung
• Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat
• Minister for Education Desmond Lee
• Minister for Law Edwin Tong
• Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu
• Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah
• Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli
• Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan

Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Dr Tan See Leng and Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, have been co-opted into the CEC as its 13th and 14th member. 

The PAP's constitution states that the CEC shall have no more than 18 members, with 12 to be elected at the party conference.

This means that up to four more members can be co-opted, with this process taking place on the 10th day after the biennial election in 2024.

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editor@asiaone.com