The first strong indication came when Mr Heng Swee Keat was chosen as the People's Action Party's (PAP) first assistant secretary-general in November last year. It placed him as the party's highest office-holder from among Singapore's crop of fourth-generation leaders, second only to secretary-general Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Five months later, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, leaving observers no room for doubt. It was clear that the bespectacled, soft-spoken Mr Heng was his party's top pick for Singapore's next prime minister.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
