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ingapore’s next election is still three years away. However, gossip, rumors and speculation about the successor to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who has been in power for 14 years, have been widely circulating. Such concern is legitimate because the succession will determine Singapore’s future.

Lee will turn 66 tomorrow. Having survived cancer twice, he has indicated his intention to rule until he reaches 70. His open conflict with his brother Lee Hsien Yang and sister Lee Wei Ling, however, has eroded, at least to a certain extent, his image as the head of the Lee clan. The family feud is shocking because the children of the late founding father Lee Kuan Yew rarely talk in public about their private lives.

The sensitive issue of succession is unlikely to surface, because Singaporeans know the legal consequences they face for expressing their thoughts about it in public. The island state is known for its rulers’ penchant for legal channels to punish those who disagree with the government.

Public participation in leadership change is lacking in this city state, compared with that in countries that practice democracy. A small group within the elite circle has the final say in nearly all strategic decisions, especially succession, there.

Knowing the prime minister’s strong — and proven — commitment to meritocracy and the fact that he has not groomed his own children to fill in his shoes, hopes abound that the next leader of Singapore will emerge from among the best candidates.

Touted as strong prime ministerial candidates so far are National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Chan Chun Sing, 48, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, 56, and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, 48. Any leadership change in Singapore, one of the most developed nations in Asia, will be of great interest to fellow ASEAN members and the international business community alike.

The son of Singapore’s founding father, Prime Minister Lee has often sent confusing signals on the succession issue. Probably because he wants to give an equal chance to all or because he remains unready to leave politics.

His People’s Action Party (PAP) has been in power since 1959, with a toothless opposition, not just because of the government’s control but also the excellent services and facilities the government provides to its citizens.

Lee certainly would rebut any accusations that secrecy dominates the succession issue. Indeed, every Singapore citizen has the right to participate in the selection of their future leader from the very beginning.