The People's Action Party (PAP) youth wing announced the launch of the Young PAP Academy and the YP 40 Under 40 Action Fellowship at its 40th anniversary event on July 4, 2026, at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre in Singapore, attended by over 1,200 youth activists [1, 2, 3, 4].
The Young PAP Academy will run a Young Leaders Programme featuring training workshops aimed at preparing participants to serve Singaporeans on the ground. Each course will last three months, hosting 20 participants with sessions held twice monthly [2, 3, 4]. The academy was announced by Young PAP deputy chairman and Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament Syed Harun Alhabsyi [2, 3, 4].
The YP 40 Under 40 fellowship will select 40 young PAP activists to receive a $5,000 seed grant each. These fellows will organize community programs with support from senior PAP leaders and industry experts [2, 3, 4]. Some of those trained may progress to roles as Members of Parliament or other leadership positions within the party [2, 3, 4].
Alvin Tan, who took over as Young PAP chairman in July 2025 from Janil Puthucheary, said the party must attract and convince youth to join to survive amid rising competition from opposition parties. “Youths have choice, they have agency. And they can choose either way,” Tan said, adding that if PAP fails to renew itself, it “deserves to be abandoned” [2, 3, 4]. He also noted that “there’s no downside to opening this pipeline” for leadership development [4].
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasized the need for renewal, stating, “The PAP can continue to govern Singapore well only if every generation renews our party with good people who are willing to serve” [1].
In Singapore, there are between 20 and 21 registered political parties, with 11 contesting the last general election. Opposition parties such as the Singapore Democratic Party and Workers’ Party have active youth supporters [2, 3, 4].
The Young PAP Academy and fellowship programs mark concrete steps by PAP’s youth wing to develop the party’s next generation. The programs will begin running following their announcement in July 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
