Heng Swee Keat - U-turn Part 1.

Singaporeans allow for U-turn. 

If you have not heard, DPM Heng Swee Keat (“HSK”) has decided to step aside as leader of PAP’s 4G team. He is not going to lead them in the future. He is passing the mantle to a younger leader. 

No doubt his age is one factor. He is 60. He said the crisis will be prolonged and he will be close to mid-60 when the pandemic blows over, if it blows over. He said “60s are still a very productive time of life.”

He explained: “But when I also consider the ages at which our first three prime ministers took on the job, I would have too short a runway should I become next prime minister then. We need a leader who will not only rebuild Singapore post-Covid-19, but also lead the next phrase of our nation-building effort.”

So, at 60, after fighting the pandemic, he will be inching towards seventy, and that leaves little time to lead the country to “the next phrase of our nation-building effort.” By saying that, I trust HSK is looking for continuity and stability if he should lead. 

You see, Goh Chok Tong took over the helm at 49 and served about 14 years. And LHL took over at 52, and pushing towards 70, he has already served more than 16 years, and counting. Their runways thus gave their leadership the desired continuity and stability for building up the nation in their respective unique phrases of development. 

But nevertheless, one has to ask, when he was anointed about three years ago, that should all be clear at that time right? 

In fact, one of the concerns was his age, apart from his health. For the latter, he had reassured the electorate that he had recovered and was going strong. 

But, having said that, surely his age ought to have already been factored into the decision to take up the leadership right? Whether long or short runway, at 58 then, the runway has already been paved in dried cement. It is therefore with eyes opened that HSK decided to assume the role after LHL hits 70. 

So, what gives? What happened? 

Well, Covid happens I guess. And no one could have foreseen that one single microorganism could create such a havoc on the world. I mean, who would have expected that in one year, you as finance minister would announce five budgets just to address the dire situation Covid has put us in? That’s unprecedented. That’s a challenge to the core of leadership. 

And HSK was honest about it. He’s only human. He too wears his parliamentary pants one leg at a time. He said that in addition to his age, that is, the short runway, the profound challenges of the pandemic and the demands of the top job were also the other important considerations for his stepping aside in favour of younger leaders. 

I guess he knows his limit. He counted the cost, and unfortunately, the rehearsal for the real thing was more than what he had expected, or bargained for, especially with the pandemic coming from nowhere and will be staying for some time. 

Alas, let me say that human leadership is human after all - flesh and blood, not brick and mortal. As such, we are all given the opportunity for U-turns, and it may not be a bad thing. For it may be a U-turn towards reform, coming back stronger, or a U-turn to face harsh reality and bravely admit that one is just not ready, or cut out for the job.

Mind you, it takes as much courage and self-awareness to fight on at the forefront, leading the pack, as it takes to admit I am not the right man and then do all one can to support wholeheartedly the search for the right man for the job. 

And this is not exactly a U-turn midstream since he is not formally appointed as PM, but one done before one takes the plunge. 

Yes, we can’t stop some from speculating about internal conflict or in-fighting, politicking or fractional competition, even going tribalistic and/or egoistic. In other words, we can’t stop the tongue from wagging and the press from impressing. But, I think we should at least give our leaders the benefit of a doubt. We are not in his shoes and we may not fully understand his woes. 

There is thus always a gap, or chasm, between the one who votes and the one who is voted in. Democracy is about majority’s preference or choice for a party to lead, and the one leader to be nominated by his party peers to the commanding height. 

It is therefore a completely different assault of emotions and responsibilities between the one who drops the vote in the ballot box, and the one who is being elected to lead the nation. The pressure, the burden and the physical toll on him are thus vastly different too. 

And being human, we are indeed allowed to make U-turns because when the tables are turned, we would equally desire for understanding and elbow room to move as we come to accept our own limitations when we confront our own Goliath. For not all of us are called to be the Davids of our circumstances. That is a fact that takes courage to own up. 

Sometimes, retreating from a battle so as to fight another day, or to pass the baton to a better fighter, to continue the fight together, is no less a victory through the perspective of time, humility and integrity.