Lee Hsien Loong makes his presence felt in Singapore elections

SINGAPORE — In sweltering Singapore’s central business district on Monday, former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong watched as his successor, Lawrence Wong, delivered a campaign speech to a crowd of hundreds that went on for more than half an hour.

While Lee did not speak, the 73-year-old’s presence on the stage and elsewhere ahead of Saturday’s elections has highlighted the esteem that the ruling People’s Action Party has for the former leader, observers say. They add that Lee’s enduring stature is also crucial for a PAP that is stressing continuity to the electorate while losing a number of its high-profile ministers to retirement.