“Lawrence Wong to lead PAP’s 4G team: 8 things to know about him”
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/8-things-to-know-about-lawrence-wong-the-paps-new-4g-leader
But the article doesn’t tell us that
Wong married at 28 but divorced his first wife after three years due to “incompatibility” and he has since remarried.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Wong
Why is the constructive, nation-building ST so prim and proper, and behind the times? It’s been a while since divorcees couldn’t become ministers or senior civil servants. Or when it meant demotion of ministers or senior civil servants. Now divorce is accepted as “acceptable” in society, though cheating on one’s spouse is not acceptable in the PAP, even if the spouse forgives.
A few yrs ago when a retired M’sian grandee asked me for a briefing on Lawrence Wong when it became public knowledge that he was in the running to be PM, he said “Glad to know that you guys are no longer in the 19th century”, when I mentioned he was divorced.
Did you also know that PM thinks LW s is not ready to be PM? Not if ypu read the headlines or opening paragraphs of articles. But read further down and readers will be told:
Mr Lee however emphasised that the leadership transition will only be done when the identified leader of the fourth generation (4G) team, Finance Minister Mr Lawrence Wong, is ready.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/no-date-set-yet-leadership-handover-factors-include-best-strategy-fight-next-ge-pm-lee-1874641
But let’s be fair to our constructive, nation-building media. They did report that there were other ministers who wanted the job:
15 out of 19 leaders consulted chose Lawrence Wong as top pick to succeed PM, with no close second: Khaw Boon Wan
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/15-out-19-leaders-consulted-chose-lawrence-wong-top-pick-succeed-pm-no-close-second-khaw-boon-wan-1874621
Albeit the spin is
Lawrence Wong not being a unanimous pick for top job a ‘natural outcome’ of more robust, inclusive process: Analysts
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/lawrence-wong-not-being-unanimous-pick-top-job-natural-outcome-more-robust-inclusive-process-analysts-1874766
Wonder if Kee Chui Chan and Ong Ye Kung are among the ones who tried (And are still trying?) to be PM? The former is a true-blue RI boy, while the latter did do his A levels in RI. RI boys are widely believed by the plebs as ambitious, experts back stabbing plebs Like Lawrence Wong. Even RI boys (think Heng) are supposedly not safe from defenestration from other ambitious RI boys.
But ST etc will never tell us things like this. SAD.
Thoughts of a Cynical Investor 
obviously SPH had no wish to say that LHL had heng as Plan A & lawrence wong as Plan B; CCS, OYK were never in the running; heng was LKY’s private secretary, the best according to LKY himself; LW was LHL’s private secretary
LW’s divorce, remarriage may be what stopped him from being Plan A (Nelson Rockefeller); knowing this, he always acted modestly, took constituency work seriously, smiled a lot in parliament, made no enemies; when LHL thrust him forward & he showed his skill for public delivery, public accepted him quickly
in each of the 4 succession cases, the current leader chose his successor (in GCT/LHL case, as soon as GCT became leader), gave him a “runway” to show that he was the only one, then had the successor proclaimed (or elected, if u prefer to be democratic) by a select group; GCT was proclaimed by a small group invited to dinner by tony tan; LHL was proclaimed by a larger group invited I believe by Wong Kan Seng; heng was proclaimed by a young group of 16, but the same group was not entrusted with the job for LW: some of the juniors were kept out, some “adults” were added to make up group of 19; considering the pre-selected membership, the support for LW was not overwhelming (take out the adults, what’s his majority among the “kids”? substantial for sure, not overwhelming; and that’s after LHL had already indicated his preference by his promotion of LW in the cabinet reshuffle last year); the reduced group of kids were not even allowed to hold a meeting to discuss the matter; individual pow-wows with the oldtimer khaw were held instead
https://mobile.twitter.com/cky87127764/status/1516527940678590464