Goh as 2nd Secretary General became Prime Minister, even though Tony Tan was the 1st Deputy Secretary General

The recent news of Heng Swee Kiat as first deputy general secretary of the People's Action Party, while Chan Chun Sing, second deputy secretary general, invites Singaporeans to explain how Heng would naturally become the next prime minister of the People's Action Party. Singapore.

However, looking through the history of the PAP, this may not be the case.

In fact, among the second generation PAP leaders, Goh Chok Tong became prime minister, while he was the second deputy general secretary of PAP after Tony Tan, who became the first deputy secretary general. It was after the elections of the PAP CEC in 1980.

In Goh's biography, "Great Order: The History of Goh Chok Tong", it was revealed:

Goh remembered: "LKY told me that he wanted to make Tony the first sec-gen assistant, so I said okay."

"It has always been my attitude: okay, no problem, which is good, it is that I have never targeted the best job," he added.

Tony Tan did not want work

So, as we can see how the PAP works, the Prime Minister of the day has a lot to say to decide who would be what in the party.

In the end, Tony Tan did not become prime minister, but Goh. And the reason was: Tony Tan did not want the post of prime minister. This was revealed by LKY in 1988:

So back to Heng. It is not a fact that he would become the next prime minister because he is now the first under-secretary general of the PAP.

Using the history of the PAP as a reference, Chan, who is currently the 2nd Assistant Secretary-General, could become the prime minister, just as Goh did.