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The one who might be Prime Minister
Chan Chun Sing has a glittering resumé: after spending his secondary and post-secondary education at the prestigious Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College, he read economics at the University of Cambridge on a government scholarship, graduating with first-class honours. He went on to obtain a postgraduate degree in management and eventually attained the rank of Major-General in the Singapore Armed Forces before leaving the army to enter politics under the banner of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
He now serves as a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office as well as the PAP whip. On top of that, he’s the head of both the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Deputy Chairman of the state grassroots organisation People’s Association (PA). Chan thus holds leadership positions in four of the most important and powerful political institutions in Singapore. Amid the speculation over leadership succession in the PAP, Chan has been touted as a favourite to succeed Lee Hsien Loong as the Secretary-General of the party and therefore to the premiership of Singapore.
To casual observers, Chan’s upward trajectory might seem uniquely impressive. In reality, it’s an oft-charted progression that has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years.
Like Kuek, Chan is what’s known in Singapore as a “paper general” —a current or former member of the military whose high rank is seen as being merely “on paper” because he lacks achievement outside the academic sphere.
They aren’t the only ones. Besides Chan, Singapore’s Cabinet includes three other ministers who are former military brass with stellar academic credentials but little combat experience: Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong himself.
Men of similar stock occupy positions outside of Parliament too. No fewer than six former generals are chairmen of statutory boards: Lee Hsien Yang (the Prime Minister’s brother) of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore; Lim Chuan Poh of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Lim Neo Chian of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority; Lee Fook Sun of the Building and Construction Authority; Neo Kian Hong of the Defence Science and Technology Agency; and Ng Chee Peng of the Central Provident Fund Board. As Kuek holds the fort at SMRT, another former Chief of Defence, Ng Yat Chung, is now a chief executive of Singapore Press Holdings.
More at
Singapore’s “Paper Generals”
Chan Chun Sing has a glittering resumé: after spending his secondary and post-secondary education at the prestigious Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College, he read economics at the University of Cambridge on a government scholarship, graduating with first-class honours. He went on to obtain a postgraduate degree in management and eventually attained the rank of Major-General in the Singapore Armed Forces before leaving the army to enter politics under the banner of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
He now serves as a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office as well as the PAP whip. On top of that, he’s the head of both the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Deputy Chairman of the state grassroots organisation People’s Association (PA). Chan thus holds leadership positions in four of the most important and powerful political institutions in Singapore. Amid the speculation over leadership succession in the PAP, Chan has been touted as a favourite to succeed Lee Hsien Loong as the Secretary-General of the party and therefore to the premiership of Singapore.
To casual observers, Chan’s upward trajectory might seem uniquely impressive. In reality, it’s an oft-charted progression that has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years.
Like Kuek, Chan is what’s known in Singapore as a “paper general” —a current or former member of the military whose high rank is seen as being merely “on paper” because he lacks achievement outside the academic sphere.
They aren’t the only ones. Besides Chan, Singapore’s Cabinet includes three other ministers who are former military brass with stellar academic credentials but little combat experience: Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong himself.
Men of similar stock occupy positions outside of Parliament too. No fewer than six former generals are chairmen of statutory boards: Lee Hsien Yang (the Prime Minister’s brother) of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore; Lim Chuan Poh of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Lim Neo Chian of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority; Lee Fook Sun of the Building and Construction Authority; Neo Kian Hong of the Defence Science and Technology Agency; and Ng Chee Peng of the Central Provident Fund Board. As Kuek holds the fort at SMRT, another former Chief of Defence, Ng Yat Chung, is now a chief executive of Singapore Press Holdings.
More at
Singapore’s “Paper Generals”
