Wong Kan Seng
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Wong Kan Seng
黄根成 |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 September 2005 |
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| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
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| Preceded by | Tony Tan Keng Yam |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1994 |
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| Preceded by | S Jayakumar |
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| In office 1988 – 1994 |
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| Preceded by | S Dhanabalan |
| Succeeded by | S Jayakumar |
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Minister for Community Development
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| In office 1987 – 1991 |
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Deputy Chairman of People's Association
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| In office 1992 – 2006 |
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Member of Parliament
for Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1997 |
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| Born | 1946 Singapore |
| Nationality | Singaporean |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Spouse | Ruth Lee Hong Geok |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Teacher[1] |
- This is a Chinese name; the family name is 黄 (Huang).
Wong Kan Seng (simplified Chinese: 黄根成; pinyin: Huáng Gēnchéng; POJ: Ng Kun-siaⁿ; born 1946) is the Minister for Home Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. Wong is considered to be part of Singapore's third-generation leadership that includes Lee Hsien Loong, S Jayakumar, Yeo Cheow Tong, Mah Bow Tan and others.
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[edit] His credentials
Wong received his education from Outram Secondary School during his Secondary and Pre-University school years. Later on, he went on to study at University of Singapore and London Business School. Talent-spotted for political office, Wong entered politics in 1984 after working in the civil service and private sector.[2] He became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1984 for the Kuo Chuan Constituency in Toa Payoh.
Within three years in politics, he was promoted to be Minister for Community Development in 1987 and later became the Minister for Home Affairs (since 1994). On 1 September 2005, Wong took over as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore when Dr Tony Tan stepped down. He is now one of the MPs for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.[3]
[edit] Homeland Security (Singapore)
As the Minister for Home Affairs, Wong has been a key figure in overseeing emergency planning, dealing with internal threats such as cults and terrorists, involved in law and order, border security rooting out criminals and illegal immigrants, and being tough on drugs.[4]. But there's a blotch on his record, because of Mas Selamat's escape earlier this year.
[edit] SARS
Wong was then responsible for coordinating the inter-ministerial nation-wide effort to counter the epidemic.[5] Certain measures were taken to contain the virus, including mandatory home quarantine measures, health screening at immigration checkpoints, schools and hospitals and public education programs. On 31 May 2003, Singapore was taken off the World Health Organization's list of SARS-affected countries.
[edit] Mas Selamat escape
On 27 Feb 2008, an alleged Jemaah Islamiyah leader escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre, leading to the largest manhunt in Singapore. Wong expressed his regret in Parliament for the escape on the day after the occurrence, but stopped short of apologising for it.
"This should not have happened. I am sorry that it has (sic)."
He revealed that Mas Selamat bin Kastari escaped when he was being taken to the toilet before a meeting at the Family Visit Room.[6]
Criticism has been directed towards Wong Kan Seng, the Minister of Home Affairs in Singapore, with regards to the fact that news of Mas Selamat's escape was not disseminated to the public until four hours after its occurrence.[7] There have been calls for Wong to step down, given the severity of the security lapse. Some[who?] have stated that though appropriate action would be taken against the junior officers, none of the blame seemed to rest on him at all. The fallout has also been exacerbated over the public's outrage over the major pay hike for MPs in Singapore.[citation needed]
In January this year (2009), DPM Wong said 'the fugitive (mas selamat) was either still in Singapore, hidden by sympathisers, or had fled the country - a scenario he said was "more pausible" - The Straits Times, May 9 2009.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by ? |
Deputy Chairman of People's Association 1992-2006 |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by S Jayakumar |
Minister for Home Affairs 1994 – present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Tony Tan |
Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore 2005 – present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by ? |
Minister for Community Development 1987-1991 |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by S Dhanabalan |
Minister for Foreign Affairs 1988-1994 |
Succeeded by S Jayakumar |
[edit] References
- ^ Cabinet Appointments: Wong Kan Seng
- ^ Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all", The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004
- ^ The Cabinet - Mr Wong Kan Seng
- ^ Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all, The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004
- ^ Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all, The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004
- ^ Security lapse led to escape of JI leader Mas Selamat, says DPM Wong, Channelnewsasia.com, 28 Feb 2008
- ^ Wikipedia on Mas Selamat bin Kastari
