Lawrence Wong

Lawrence Wong
黄循财
Lawrence Wong at the Singapore International Energy Week in 2010
Minister for National Development[1]
Assumed office
1 October 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Khaw Boon Wan
Second Minister for Finance[2]
Assumed office
22 August 2016
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Minister Heng Swee Keat
Preceded by Office created
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC
(Limbang)
Assumed office
11 September 2015
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth
In office
1 May 2014[3] – 30 September 2015
Acting: 1 November 2012 - 30 April 2014
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Chan Chun Sing (as Acting Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports)
Succeeded by Grace Fu Hai Yien
Second Minister of Communications and Information
In office
1 May 2014 – 30 September 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Minister Yaacob Ibrahim
Preceded by Office created
Succeeded by Office abolished
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for West Coast GRC
(Boon Lay)
In office
7 May 2011 – 24 August 2015
Personal details
Born Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai
(1972-12-18) 18 December 1972
Singapore
Nationality Singaporean
Political party People's Action Party
Alma mater University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
Harvard University

Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai (simplified Chinese: 黄循财; traditional Chinese: 黃循財; pinyin: Huáng Xún Cái; born 18 December 1972) is a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was appointed the Minister for National Development after the 2015 General Election. On 22 August 2016, he was concurrently appointed as the Second Minister for Finance. He has previously held appointments in Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Communications and Information, and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 2011 representing West Coast Group Representation Constituency (2011-2015) and Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency (since 2015).[4] Wong is widely seen as a key member of the fourth-generation leadership of the PAP.[5][6][7]

Career

Wong began his career as a civil servant at the Ministry of Trade and Industry. He served as the Ministry's Assistant Director (Research and Planning) from 1997 to 1999, as a secretary to Ong Teng Cheong (who was Singapore's first elected President). He then moved to the Ministry of Finance, where he served as Assistant Director (Fiscal Policy) from 1999 to 2001, before becoming the Deputy Director (Budget) and Head of Economic Programmes. In 2004, he moved to the Ministry of Health as the Director of Healthcare Finance.

From 2005 to 2008, Wong served as the Principal Private Secretary to Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong.

In 2008, Wong became the Chief Executive of Singapore's Energy Market Authority.[8]

Political career

Wong was elected to Parliament at the 2011 general election representing West Coast Group Representation Constituency. On 21 May 2011, he was appointed a Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education. Wong was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore on 10 June 2011. On 1 August 2012, he was appointed a Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Information, Communications & the Arts and Senior Minister of State for Education.

On 1 November 2012, he was appointed Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information.

Wong led a team to bid for the Singapore Botanic Gardens to be recognised as Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.[9][10][11] Wong also spearheaded the free museum entry policy for all Singaporeans and permanent residents, to all national museums and heritage institutions from 18 May 2013.[12] In 2013, Wong also announced the setting up of a new $100 million National Youth Fund for youth to champion community and social causes.[13]

On 1 May 2014, he was appointed Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) & Second Minister for Communications and Information. He is also a member of the PAP's Central Executive Committee.[14] Wong was also appointed as the Head of the SG50 Programme Office that coordinates the work of five Committees for the nation’s Golden Jubilee Year celebrations.[15] Wong is also the Co-Chair for the SG50 Culture and Community Committee.[16]

As the Minister of MCCY, Wong was involved in the transformation of Singapore’s Civic District – the birthplace of modern Singapore, containing many institutions that have witnessed important turning points in Singapore’s history.[17][18] In August 2015, the National Arts Council attracted criticisms over the high consultation fees paid for a bin centre, as flagged by the Auditor-General's Office. Lawrence Wong addressed the issue in parliament saying that the project was at acceptable cost due to the need for extensive study of the location and technicality involved with the building of the refuse centre in the Civic District.[19]

Under his charge, Wong also introduced the $200 million Cultural Matching Fund (CMF), a dollar-for-dollar matching grant for cash donations to arts and heritage charities and Institutions of Public Character in Singapore.[20][21][22]

In August 2015, it was reported[23] that Wong would be contesting in the Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency for the Singaporean General Election, 2015. His GRC team won against the Singapore Democratic Party with 68.7% of the votes.

Wong was also the Chairman of the Steering Committee[24] for the 2015 Southeast Asian Games. Singapore’s performance of 259 medals was its best ever showing in Southeast Asian Games history.[25] Wong had also announced several key initiatives to get more Singaporeans involved in sports.[26] This includes a national movement called ActiveSG, which gives all Singaporeans and Permanent Residents ActiveSG$100 to sign up for sports programmes, and enter into swimming pools and gyms at the various Sports Centres island-wide.[27]

Wong also chairs the Singapore High Performance Sports Steering Committee, which provides strategic guidance on identifying and nurturing high performing sporting talents.[28] Wong said that the accomplishments of Singapore athletes at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games indicate that Singapore’s investment in sports is paying off.[29]

On 28 September 2015, it was announced that Wong will be the Minister of National Development from 1 October 2015.[1] He also chairs the steering committee for the development of Jurong Lake Gardens.[30]

During the National Day Rally on 21 August 2016, it was announced that Wong will also be appointed Second Minister for Finance.[31]

Education

Wong was educated at Haig Boys' Primary School, Tanjong Katong Secondary School and Victoria Junior College, before going on to the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the United States where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics in 1993. He subsequently obtained a Master of Arts degree in Economics at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.[32]

Personal life

Wong's father was a sales executive and his mother was a teacher at his primary school. His elder brother is an aerospace engineer. Wong who was previously divorced[33][34] has since remarried.[35][36] He is a Singaporean of Hainanese descent.[37]

Filmography

Television dramas

Year Network Title Notes
2014 MediaCorp Channel 8 World at Your Feet Guest-of-honour for the futsal competition.
Special guest appearance featured in two episodes.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces Singapore's new Cabinet". Channel NewsAsia. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "Live updates: National Day Rally 2016". Channel NewsAsia. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  3. ↑ "Tan and Wong promoted to full Minister". Channel NewsAsia. 29 April 2014. Archived from the original on 1 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "Member's CV: Lawrence Wong". Parliament of Singapore. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  5. ↑ Au-Yong, Rachel (2015-09-29). "Lawrence Wong to lead National Development". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  6. ↑ Han, Fook Kwang (2015-10-04). "Room to speculate over succession - for once". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  7. ↑ "What 4G Cabinet Ministers are reading". The Straits Times. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Appointment to MAS Board of Directors". Monetary Authority of Singapore. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "Singapore optimistic about World Heritage bid for Botanic Gardens: Lawrence Wong". Channel News Asia. Channel News Asia. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "UNESCO delegates laud S'pore's nomination of Botanic Gardens as World Heritage Site". TODAY. TODAY. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "Singapore Botanic Gardens declared UNESCO World Heritage Site". Channel News Asia. Channel News Asia. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  12. ↑ "Budget 2013: Free museum entry from May for all Singaporeans, PRs". Straits Times Online. Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  13. ↑ "New National Youth Fund to be set up: Lawrence Wong". Channel News Asia. MediaCorp Pte Ltd. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  14. ↑ "Central Executive Committee (CEC)". People's Association Party. People's Association Party. Archived from the original on 1 September 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  15. ↑ "SG50 Celebration Fund almost doubled with S$4m cash injection: Lawrence Wong". Channel News Asia. Channel News Asia. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  16. ↑ "Steering Committee for Singapore50". Singapore50. Singapore50. Archived from the original on 7 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "Singapore Budget 2015: $740 million invested on Civic District revamp". Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings Pte Ltd. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  18. ↑ "A S$740 million plan to restore and revive heritage-rich Civic District". Channel News Asia. MediaCorp Pte Ltd. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  19. ↑ Yong, Charissa (2016-08-15). "Consultant's study on bin centre part of extensive feasibility study". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  20. ↑ "S$200-million fund to match donations to arts & heritage sector launched". TODAY. MediaCorp Press Ltd. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  21. ↑ "$200m Arts Fund To Help Drive Sustainability". ST Jobs. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  22. ↑ ""Community node" at Jurong library aims to bring arts to youth in heartland". Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "Lawrence Wong and Halimah Yacob to co-anchor Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC". Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  24. ↑ "Steering Committee". SEA Games 2015. SingTel. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  25. ↑ "SEA Games: Team Singapore breaks records in best performance yet". Channel News Asia. MediaCorp Pte Ltd. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  26. ↑ "MCCY to get more S'poreans to play sports". TODAY. MediaCorp Press Pte Ltd. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  27. ↑ "ActiveSG: $100 credits for S'poreans, PRs to get sporty & healthy, says Lawrence Wong". Asia One. Singapore Press Holdings Pte Ltd. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  28. ↑ "Singapore High Performance Sports Steering Committee". Sport Singapore. Singapore Sports Council. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  29. ↑ "SEA Games success shows investment in sports is paying off: Lawrence Wong". Channel News Asia. MediaCorp Pte Ltd. Archived from the original on 10 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  30. ↑ Yeo, Sam Jo (2015-10-25). "Jurong Lake Gardens to have community gardening and cycling tracks". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  31. ↑ Singapore, Prime Minister‘s Office (2016-08-24). "Changes to Cabinet and other appointments". Prime Minister‘s Office Singapore. Retrieved 2016-08-25.
  32. ↑ "Lawrence Wong". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  33. ↑ Long, Susan (2013-02-15). "Campaign country no more?". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  34. ↑ "Lawrence Wong on politics, policies, and living alone". The New Paper. 2015-09-01. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  35. ↑ "Prime Minister begins official visit to Singapore". Viet Maz. 2018-04-25. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  36. ↑ Istana Bukit Serene, Johor, Malaysia (2018-06-15). "Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar receives the audience of Singapore Ministers in conjunction with eid mubarak celebration". Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar (Facebook). The Sultan Of Johor. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  37. ↑ MCCY - Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Speeches by Mr Lawrence Wong (6 November 2013). "Speech by Mr Lawrence Wong at the Hainan Culture and Heritage Centre's anniversary dinner cum book launch". MCCY - Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Retrieved 1 September 2017.

See also

Political offices
Preceded by
New office		 Minister for Culture, Community and Youth
2012-2015		 Succeeded by
Grace Fu Hai Yien
Preceded by
Khaw Boon Wan		 Minister for National Development
2015-present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
New office		 Second Minister for Finance
2016-present		 Incumbent
Parliament of Singapore
Preceded by
Ho Geok Choo Madeleine		 Member of Parliament
for West Coast GRC (Boon Lay)
2011–2015		 Succeeded by
Patrick Tay Teck Guan
New constituency Member of Parliament
for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC
2015–present		 Incumbent
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