Chan Chun Sing

Chan Chun Sing
MP
陈振声
Chan Chun Sing
Minister for Trade and Industry
Assumed office
1 May 2018
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Lim Hng Kiang (Trade)
S. Iswaran (Industry)
Minister in Prime Minister's Office
In office
9 April 2015 – 30 April 2018
Serving with Josephine Teo
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Lim Swee Say
Succeeded by Ng Chee Meng
Indranee Rajah
Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress
In office
4 May 2015 – 30 April 2018
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Lim Swee Say
Succeeded by Ng Chee Meng
Deputy Chairman for People's Association (Singapore)
Assumed office
1 October 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Lim Swee Say
Minister for Social and Family Development
In office
1 September 2013 – 3 May 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Succeeded by Tan Chuan-Jin
Second Minister, Ministry of Defence
In office
1 September 2013 – 8 April 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by none
Succeeded by Lui Tuck Yew
Acting Minister, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
In office
21 May 2011 – 31 October 2012
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Vivian Balakrishnan
Succeeded by Lawrence Wong (as Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth)
Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Defence
In office
1 August 2012 – 31 August 2013
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Minister Ng Eng Hen
Preceded by Lawrence Wong
Succeeded by Maliki Osman
Minister of State, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
In office
21 May 2011 – 31 July 2012
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Minister Yaacob Ibrahim
Succeeded by Lawrence Wong
Personal details
Born (1969-10-09) 9 October 1969
Singapore
Nationality Singaporean
Political party People's Action Party
Alma mater Christ's College, Cambridge
MIT Sloan School of Management
Military service
Service/branch Singapore Army
Years of service 1987–2011
Rank Major-General
Commands 2nd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment,
10th Singapore Infantry Brigade,
9th Division,
Chief Infantry Officer,
Chief of Staff - Joint Staff,
Chief of Army

Chan Chun Sing (simplified Chinese: 陈振声; traditional Chinese: 陳振聲; pinyin: Chén Zhènshēng; Jyutping: Can4 Zan3-sing1; Tamil: சன் சுன் செங்; born 9 October 1969) is a Singaporean politician. A member of the country's governing People's Action Party (PAP), he is currently Minister for Trade and Industry since 1 May 2018. On 1 October 2015, Chan was appointed Deputy Chairman of the People’s Association.[1] He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency since the 2011 general election. Prior to entering politics, he served in the Singapore Armed Forces, where he rose to the rank of Major-General and served as Singapore's Chief of Army from 2010 to 2011.

Education

Chan Chun Sing was educated at Raffles Institution (1982–85) and Raffles Junior College (1986–87). Chan was one of the top four scorers from Raffles Junior College for the GCE A Levels in 1987.[2][3]

In 1988, Chan was awarded a President's Scholarship and Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship to study in the University of Cambridge,[4] where he completed a degree in economics at Christ's College and graduated with First Class Honours.

In 2005, Chan completed the Sloan Fellows programme at the MIT Sloan School of Management under a Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship.[5]

Career

Military career

Chan served in the Singapore Army from 1987 to 2011. His appointments included Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (1998-2000), Army Attaché in Jakarta (2001–03), Commander of the 10th Singapore Infantry Brigade (2003–04), Head of the Joint Plans and Transformation Department (2005–07), Commander of the 9th Division / Chief Infantry Officer (2007–09),[6] and Chief of Staff - Joint Staff (2009–10).

Chan excelled as a student at the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1998, and was the first foreign student to be conferred the "Distinguished Master Strategist Award" in the same year.[7]

Chan was appointed the Chief of Army on 26 March 2010 (replacing Major-General Neo Kian Hong). He left the Singapore Armed Forces on 25 March 2011 in order to stand for Parliament (and was replaced as Chief of Army by Brigadier-General Ravinder Singh).[8]

Early political career

Chan was a PAP candidate in the Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency at the 2011 general election.[9] The PAP's team in the constituency was led by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and was declared elected on Nomination Day (27 April 2011) in a walkover.[10] Chan became the representative of the Buona Vista ward in the constituency (replacing Lim Swee Say).[11] During the election campaign, Chan used the Hokkien phrase "kee chiu" (meaning "hands up") at a rally to engage the crowd, and the term became a well-known nickname for him in Singapore.[12]

Following the general election, Chan was appointed the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and the Minister of State at the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. At the age of 42 then, Chan was one of the youngest ministers to be appointed to the Singapore Cabinet.

On 31 July 2012, Chan relinquished his appointment in MICA and was appointed as Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). Following a restructuring of government ministries in November 2012, he began heading the newly created Ministry of Social and Family Development as Acting Minister.[13] He was promoted to full Minister in September 2013,[14] and concurrently serves as Second Minister for Defence.

On 23 January 2015, Chan joined the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) on a part-time basis. He was appointed as NTUC's deputy secretary-general on 27 January 2015 and will join NTUC full-time from April.[15]

On 1 October 2015, Chan is appointed Deputy Chairman of the People’s Association [16]

Chan is seen as one of the frontrunners for the top position of the fourth-generation of PAP leaders.[17][18]

Minister for Social and Family Development (2013 - 2015)

Chan has announced three key priorities for his Ministry in the Committee of Supply debate 2014.[19][20] These priorities are: (i) to maintain the currency and adequacy of Singapore's social support policies, (ii) to deliver integrated social services and (iii) to develop manpower for the social service sector.

2013

  • Launched the first of 23 Social Service Offices to bring social assistance touch points closer to the populace.[21]
  • Revised the tender evaluation process for commercial childcare centres. The joint effort by ECDA and HDB will keep rental costs in HDB estates manageable, and in turn keep childcare programmes affordable.[22]
  • More infrastructure support to benefit non-Anchor Operators (AOP) setting up preschools in high demand areas and workplaces. Non-AOPs who provide quality and affordable programmes can tap on a Teaching & Learning Resources Grant of up to $4,000 per year for materials and equipment.[23]

2015

  • Replied to a question in Parliament that there will be no change to a policy that discriminates against single mothers — single mothers will continue to get only eight of the 16 weeks paid maternity leave that married mothers are entitled to, and will still not be entitled to claim a child relief tax incentive. [24]

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (2015 - 2018)

Chan was a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office[25] and Secretary General of the National Trade Union Congress. He is widely seen as a contender to be the fourth-generation Prime Minister of Singapore. [26]

Minister of Trade and Industry

He took over as the Minister for Trade and Industry on 24th April 2018 and stepped down as NTUC chief on 1st May.[27]

Personal life

Chan grew up in a single parent household.[3] His mother Kwong Kait Fong was a machine operator and he has a sister Siew Yin.[2] He stayed in a 3-room HDB flat in MacPherson (with his mother, grandparents, auntie and sister) until he was 30 years old.[28] Chan is married with a daughter and two sons.[29]

References

  1. ↑ Singapore Cabinet 2015 sworn in
  2. 1 2 "Chun Sing: 'Ridiculous dream' comes true". The Straits Times. 20 August 1988. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  3. 1 2 "Thanks, Mum". The Straits Times. 8 March 1988. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  4. ↑ "'Hardworking' scholars' night of glory". The Straits Times. 27 August 1988. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  5. ↑ "Change in Chief of Defence Force and Chief of Army". Ministry of Defence (Singapore). 15 January 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  6. ↑ "5 President's Scholars this year". Straits Times. 20 Aug 1988. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  7. ↑ "Chan Chun Sing enters US Army college's hall of fame". AsiaOne. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
  8. ↑ "New chief for Singapore Army". AsiaOne. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  9. ↑ Yen, Feng (15 April 2011). "Coming GE is critical for renewal: Ng Eng Hen". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  10. ↑ "MM Lee disappointed with no contest in Tg Pagar". Straits Times. 27 April 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  11. ↑ "Ex-Army Chief to contest in Buona Vista". AsiaOne. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  12. ↑ Seow, Joanna (2015-01-24). "Chan Chun Sing: I'm a very simple person". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-08-12.
  13. ↑ "MCYS, MICA to be restructured". AsiaOne. 31 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "Chan Chun Sing becomes full minister in Cabinet promotion". AsiaOne. 28 Aug 2013.
  15. ↑ "Minister Chan Chun Sing joins NTUC, likely to take over as labour chief". The Straits Times. 23 Jan 2015.
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ "Who can step up as Singapore's next leader?". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  18. ↑ hermes (2016-09-04). "The next Prime Minister: 6 men to watch". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  19. ↑ "Opening Speech at Committee of Supply debate 2014". Ministry of Social and Family Development. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  20. ↑ "Closing Speech at Committee of Supply debate 2014". Ministry of Social and Family Development. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  21. ↑ "Launch of Social Service Office". Ministry of Social and Family Development. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  22. ↑ "Revised Tender Evaluation Process for Commercial Child Care Centres in HDB Premises". Ministry of Social and Family Development. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  23. ↑ "More support for Non-Anchor Operators". Ministry of Social and Family Development. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  24. ↑ "Parliament: No change to paid maternity leave for single mums". AsiaOne. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  25. ↑ http://www.pmo.gov.sg/newsroom/press-statement-prime-minister-changes-cabinet-and-other-appointments-4
  26. ↑ hermesauto (2018-01-26). "Singapore's 4G leaders need more time to gain exposure and experience: Analysts". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  27. ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/incoming-ntuc-leader-ng-chee-meng-says-he-will-listen-to-workers-to-chart-future-direction
  28. ↑ "《有话要说2》陈振声部长 - 加长版（上） - 8频道新闻及时事节目". Channel 8 News. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  29. ↑ "Chan Chun Sing: 'I do my best at the task I'm given'". The New Paper. 2015-08-31. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
Military offices
Preceded by
Major-General Neo Kian Hong		 Chief of the Singapore Army
26 March 2010 – 25 March 2011		 Succeeded by
Brigadier-General Ravinder Singh
Political offices
Preceded by
Vivian Balakrishnan		 Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (acting)
21 May 2011 – 31 October 2012		 Succeeded by
Position abolished (re-designated as Minister for Social and Family Development
Preceded by
Position created (formation of Ministry of Social and Family Development		 Minister for Social and Family Development
1 November 2012 – 4 May 2015		 Succeeded by
Tan Chuan-Jin
Preceded by
Lim Swee Say		 Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
4 May 2015 - present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Lim Swee Say		 Secretary-General, National Trades Union Congress
2015 - present		 Incumbent
Parliament of Singapore
Preceded by
Baey Yam Keng, Indranee Thurai Rajah, Koo Tsai Kee, Lee Kuan Yew, Lui Tuck Yew, Tan Chin Siong		 Member of Parliament
for Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency
21 May 2011–
Served alongside: Lee Kuan Yew, Lily Neo, Chia Shi-Lu, Indranee Thurai Rajah		 Incumbent
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