The PAP's famed "tea sessions" with potential candidates have already been held, with those on the shortlist progressing to the next round of meetings, the report said.

Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is the PAP's second assistant secretary-general, has been tasked by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to recruit new faces for the next polls.

"The secretary-general has asked me to look for new candiates for the next general elections," Teo said.

Teo is not ruling not the possibility the PAP will field candidates in their twenties if they have the "maturity" and "gravitas" to win over voters.

"We must weight up whether they have the experience and also whether Singaporeans are prepared to accept them," said Teo.

"That person must have the maturity and gravitas to convince the voters to vote for him or her ... and the voters themselves must have sufficient confidence to want to vote for such a person."

Lee, who succeeded Goh Chok Tong in August, said in his inaguration speech that Singapore's next generation of leaders must be drawn from those born after Singapore statehood in 1965, meaning those aged 39 or younger.

The PAP, which has dominated Singapore politics since the island gained self-rule from Britain in 1959, has stepped up efforts over the past year to recruit young Singaporeans to join the party.

It has ruled Singapore since independence in 1965 and won 82 of the 84 seats in parliament at the last elections in 2001.

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