Teo Chee Hean
Teo Chee Hean (simplified Chinese: 张志贤; traditional Chinese: 張志賢; pinyin: Zhāng Zhìxián; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tioⁿ Chì-hiân; Tamil: தியோ சீ ஹியென்; born 27 December 1954) is a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was appointed Senior Minister on 1 May 2019. He also serves, since 21 May 2011, as Coordinating Minister for National Security. He also oversees the Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group, including the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group, the National Security Coordination Secretariat, the National Population and Talent Division and the National Climate Change Secretariat.
Teo Chee Hean MP | |
|---|---|
张志贤 | |
 Teo Chee Hean at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore on 3 June 2006 | |
| 5th Senior Minister of Singapore | |
| Assumed office 1 May 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | S. Jayakumar (2009-2011) Goh Chok Tong (2004-2011) |
| Co-ordinating Minister for National Security | |
| Assumed office 21 May 2011 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | Wong Kan Seng |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore | |
| In office 1 April 2009 – 1 May 2019 | |
| President | S. R. Nathan (1999-2011) Tony Tan (2011-2017) |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | S. Jayakumar (2004-2009) Wong Kan Seng (2005-2011) |
| Succeeded by | Heng Swee Keat |
| Constituency | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC |
| Minister for Home Affairs | |
| In office 21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | K. Shanmugam |
| Succeeded by | K. Shanmugam |
| Minister for Defence | |
| In office 1 August 2003 – 20 May 2011 | |
| Prime Minister | Goh Chok Tong Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | Tony Tan Keng Yam |
| Succeeded by | Ng Eng Hen |
| Minister for Education | |
| In office 1997 – 1 August 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | Goh Chok Tong |
| Preceded by | Lee Yock Suan |
| Succeeded by | Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
| Member of Parliament, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC (Pasir Ris West) | |
| Assumed office 17 October 2001 | |
| Preceded by | himself (Pasir Ris GRC:Pasir Ris Central) |
| Member of Parliament, Pasir Ris GRC (Pasir Ris Central) | |
| In office 26 June 1997 – 17 October 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Chong (Eunos GRC-Pasir Ris) |
| Succeeded by | himself (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC:Pasir Ris West ward) |
| Member of Parliament, Marine Parade GRC (Joo Chiat) | |
| In office 20 December 1992 – 15 December 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Lim Chee Onn |
| Succeeded by | Chan Soo Sen (East Coast GRC:Joo Chiat) |
| Constituency | Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 December 1954 Singapore, Colony of Singapore |
| Political party | People's Action Party (1992) |
| Spouse(s) | Chew Poh Yim |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester Imperial College London Harvard University |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  |
| Years of service | 1972–1992 |
| Rank |  |
| Commands | Chief of Navy (1991-92) |
In the first phase of his career, he served in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) where he held various command and staff appointments in the Republic of Singapore Navy and the Joint Staff. In 1991, he was appointed Chief of Navy, and was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.
In December 1992, he left the SAF to seek elected public office and was elected as a Member of Parliament in a by-election in the Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC). He was re-elected to Parliament five times in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister from 1 April 2009 to 30 April 2019 when former deputy prime ministers, S. Jayakumar & Wong Kan Seng both stepped down from position. He is serving as deputy prime minister alongside Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He has served as the Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Defence , Minister for Education , and Minister for the Environment. He has also served as Minister of State in the Ministries of Finance, Communications and Defence.
Career
Naval career
Teo enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1972 and received his commission as a naval officer at the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) in 1973. He went on to hold various command and staff appointments in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Joint Staff.
Teo assumed command of the RSN as Chief of Navy in 1991 and was promoted to the rank of Commodore (later re-designated as Rear-Admiral) in July 1991.
On 7 December 1992, Teo left the RSN to seek election into Parliament.
Political career
Teo was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (Marine Parade GRC) in the Marine Parade by-election on 19 December 1992.
Following his election, Teo served as a Minister of State in the Ministries of Finance, Communications and Defence.
In April 1995, Teo was appointed the Acting Minister for the Environment and Senior Minister of State for Defence. In January 1996, he was appointed Minister for the Environment and Second Minister for Defence.
At the 1997 general election, Teo was elected as an MP for Pasir Ris GRC. In the subsequent Cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed the Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence.
At the 2001 general election, Teo was elected as an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and re-appointed as Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence. On 1 August 2003, he was appointed the Minister for Defence and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service.
At the 2006 general election, Teo was re-elected as an MP for Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC. He led the team six-member PAP team to victory in the constituency with 68.7% of the votes.
On 26 March 2009, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong appointed Teo as one of two Deputy Prime Ministers with effect from 1 April 2009. He held this appointment alongside his roles of Minister for Defence and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service.
At the 2011 general election, Teo led the PAP team in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC to victory with 64.79% of the votes.
On 18 May 2011, Teo was appointed the Minister for Home Affairs and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security. He remains as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service.
Within the PAP, Teo is the First Assistant Secretary General on the party's Central Executive Committee, a post he held until 2018.[1]
On 23 April 2019, the Prime Minister Office's latest cabinet reshuffle announced that he, alongside Tharman Shanmugaratnam, would both be relinquishing their respective Deputy Prime Minister portfolio to Heng Swee Keat, and they would be conferred the Senior Minister post effective from 1 May onwards, while retaining his Co-ordinating Minister for National Defense portfolio.[2]
Involvement in the Singapore sports scene
Teo serves in leadership and advisory roles in several sports organisations in Singapore. He served as the President of the Singapore National Olympic Council from 1984-2014. He is also the advisor to the Singapore Dragon Boat Association.
Education
Teo Chee Hean went to Saint Michael's School and Saint Joseph's Institution.
He was awarded the President's Scholarship and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholarship in 1973. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) in Electrical Engineering and Management Science from the University of Manchester in 1976. He subsequently attained a Masters of Science degree (with distinction) in Computing Science in 1977 at the Imperial College in London, and a Masters in Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University in 1986, where he was named a Littauer Fellow.
Family
Teo is married to Chew Poh Yim. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Biochemistry from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1977. She is a director of a business consultancy and teaches marketing management in the School of Business Management at Nanyang Polytechnic on a part-time basis. The couple has one son and one daughter.
References
- PAP appoints Khaw Boon Wan as chairman, channelnewsasia.com, 1 June 2011
- "Heng Swee Keat to be promoted to DPM in Cabinet reshuffle". Channel NewsAsia. 23 Apr 2019. Retrieved 23 Apr 2019.
Bibliography
- (in Chinese) Liu, Changping & Zhang, He, 风雨晚晴园(不应忘却的辛亥革命勋臣张永福), 中国文史 (2011), ISBN 9787503431098
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Teo Chee Hean. |
- Teo Chee Hean at cabinet.gov.sg
- Teo Chee Hean at parliament.gov.sg
- Teo Chee Hean's Twitter Profile
- Teo Chee Hean's Facebook Page
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mah Bow Tan |
Minister for the Environment 15 Jan 1996 – 24 Jan 1997 Acting: 17 Apr 1995 – 14 Jan 1996 |
Succeeded by Lim Swee Say |
| Recreated Title last held by Lee Boon Yang |
Second Minister for Defence 15 Jan 1996 – 31 Jul 2003 |
Succeeded by Ng Eng Hen |
| Preceded by Lee Yock Suan |
Minister for Education 25 Jan 1997 – 31 Jul 2003 |
Succeeded by Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
| Preceded by Tony Tan |
Minister for Defence 1 Aug 2003 – 20 May 2011 |
Succeeded by Ng Eng Hen |
| Preceded by S. Jayakumar |
Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore 1 Apr 2009 – 30 April 2019 Served alongside: Wong Kan Seng (2005 – 2011), Tharman Shanmugaratnam (2011 – present) |
Succeeded by Heng Swee Keat |
| Preceded by K. Shanmugam |
Minister for Home Affairs 21 May 2011 – 30 Sep 2015 |
Succeeded by K. Shanmugam |
| Preceded by Wong Kan Seng |
Co-ordinating Minister for National Security 21 May 2011 – present |
Incumbent |
| Parliament of Singapore | ||
| Preceded by Lim Chee Onn |
Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC (Joo Chiat) 1992 – 1997 |
Succeeded by Chan Soo Sen as MP for East Coast GRC (Joo Chiat) |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris GRC (Pasir Ris Central) 1997 – 2001 |
Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC (Pasir Ris West) 2001 – present |
Incumbent |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Rear-Admiral James Leo |
Chief of the Republic of Singapore Navy 1991 – 1992 |
Succeeded by Rear-Admiral Kwek Siew Jin |
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| Prime Minister | |
| Deputy Prime Minister(s) | |
| Senior Minister(s) |
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| Cabinet Minister(s) | |
Effective from 1 May 2019 | |
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The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency he or she represents. PAP: People's Action Party; WP: The Workers' Party The NCMPs listed above are from the WP, while NMPs do not belong to any party.
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