Heng Swee Keat
Heng Swee Keat PPA PJG (Chinese: 王瑞杰; pinyin: Wáng Ruìjié; born 15 April 1961)[1] is a Singaporean politician, former police officer and former civil servant.
Heng Swee Keat | |
---|---|
王瑞杰 | |
![]() Heng in 2012 | |
Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore | |
Assumed office 1 May 2019 Serving with Lawrence Wong (2022–present) | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Preceded by | Tharman Shanmugaratnam Teo Chee Hean |
Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies | |
Assumed office 27 July 2020 | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Preceded by | Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
Chairman of the People's Action Party | |
Assumed office 26 November 2022 | |
Secretary-General | Lee Hsien Loong |
Vice Chairman | Masagos Zulkifli |
Preceded by | Gan Kim Yong |
Minister for Finance | |
In office 1 October 2015 – 14 May 2021 | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Second Minister | Lawrence Wong Indranee Rajah |
Preceded by | Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
Succeeded by | Lawrence Wong |
Minister for Education | |
In office 21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015 | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Preceded by | Ng Eng Hen |
Succeeded by | Ng Chee Meng (Schools) Ong Ye Kung (Higher Education and Skills) |
Member of the Singapore Parliament for East Coast GRC (Bedok) | |
Assumed office 10 July 2020 | |
Preceded by | Lim Swee Say |
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Tampines GRC (Tampines Central) | |
In office 7 May 2011 – 23 June 2020 | |
Preceded by | Sin Boon Ann |
Succeeded by | Koh Poh Koon |
Personal details | |
Born | Heng Swee Keat 15 April 1961[1] State of Singapore |
Political party | People's Action Party |
Spouse(s) |
Chang Hwee Nee (m. 1988) |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | Christ's College, Cambridge (MA) Harvard University (MPA) |
Signature | ![]() |
Police career | |
Department | Singapore Police Force |
Years of service | 1983–1997 |
Rank | Assistant Commissioner |
He is serving as Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies. Also, he is the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Bedok part of the East Coast GRC.[2]
Early life and education
changeHeng studied at Raffles Institution.[1] He received a scholarship from the Singapore Police Force in 1980.[3][4] That allowed him to study economics at Christ College, University of Cambridge in 1983. He also completed a Master's in Public Administration at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in 1993.[1][5]
Career
changeEarly career
changeAfter Heng completed his economics studies, he worked in the Singapore Police Force. He left in 1997 as an Assistant Commissioner of Police.[6][7]
After working in the police, he worked in the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.[8]
Political career
changeHeng joined politics in the 2011 general election as part of the People's Action Party (PAP) team contesting in Tampines GRC. PAP's team won with 57.22% of the vote against the National Solidarity Party. Heng became a Member of Parliament for the Tampines Central part of Tampines GRC.[9]
On 18 May 2011, Heng was made part of the Cabinet as Minister for Education.[10][11]
During the 2015 general election, Heng led the PAP team contesting in Tampines GRC and won 72.06% of the vote against the National Solidarity Party.[12]
After the general election, on 1 October 2015, Heng stopped being Minister for Education and became Minister for Finance.[13][14]
On 1 May 2019, Heng was made Deputy Prime Minister.[15]
Before the 2020 general election, Heng announced that he would be contesting in East Coast GRC.[16]
On 10 July 2020, the PAP team led by Heng contesting in East Coast GRC won 53.41% of the vote against the Workers' Party,[17]. Heng was made Member of Parliament for the Bedok part of East Coast GRC.[18]
On 27 July 2020, Heng took up another Cabinet job as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies.[19]
After the 2020 general election, Heng was most likely the next prime minister.[20] However, he decided not to become the next Prime Minister on 8 April 2021. He said it was because he was old and not that healthy anymore.[21][22][23]
Following a Cabinet reshuffle on 15 May 2021, Heng stopped being Minister of Finance.[24]
Personal life
changeHeng was born in Singapore as a Chinese. He is of Teochew descent.[25]
Heng is married to Chang Hwee Nee, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Heritage Board. They have two children.[26][27][28]
Honours
change- Public Administration Medal (PPA) (2001)
- Long Service Medal (PBS) (2008)
- Meritorious Service Medal (PJG) (2010)
References
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Heng Swee Keat". Christ's College, Cambridge. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ Lai, Linette (2021-04-09). "Next S'pore PM should have 'sufficiently long runway' to master job: Heng Swee Keat". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "Assistant Commissioner of Police's diverse postings are shaping him as a strategic leader". Scholars' Choice. 2023-07-21. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "4 receive SPF overseas scholarships". AsiaOne. 2013-08-22. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "Heng Swee Keat | GIC Board of Directors". GIC. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ anthony_chia (2023-09-12). "PMO | DPM Heng Swee Keat at the Forbes Global CEO Conference 2023". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ "Heng Swee Keat: From handling LKY's red box to S'pore Prime Minister-in-waiting". mothership.sg. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ "MAS chief Heng Swee Keat steps down", The Straits Times, 31 March 2011
- ↑ "ELD | 2011 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ "National conversation on common future welcomed: Goh Chok Tong", The Straits Times, 12 August 2012
- ↑ katherine_chen (2023-11-09). "PMO | Mr HENG Swee Keat". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ "ELD | 2015 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ Nurhidayah (28 September 2015). "Transcript of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Statement at the Press Conference on the new Cabinet Line-Up on 28 September 2015". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ katherine_chen (2023-11-09). "PMO | Mr HENG Swee Keat". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ "Heng Swee Keat to be promoted to DPM in Cabinet reshuffle". Channel NewsAsia. 23 April 2019. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ Lai, Linette (30 June 2020). "Singapore GE2020: Heng Swee Keat decided to move to East Coast GRC as it cannot afford a 'succession gap'". The Straits Times. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "Singapore ruling party, stung by poll setback, faces succession questions". Reuters. 11 July 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "ELD | 2020 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ "PMO | Changes to Cabinet and Other Appointments (July 2020)". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ hermesauto (26 January 2018). "Singapore's 4G leaders need more time to gain exposure and experience: Analysts". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ Tan, Sumiko (8 April 2021). "DPM Heng Swee Keat steps aside as leader of 4G team, setting back Singapore's succession plan for next PM". The Straits Times. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ Tham, Yuen-C (9 April 2021). "Heng Swee Keat's decision catches many by surprise; Pritam Singh pledges to work with next 4G leader". The Straits Times. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "Heng Swee Keat takes himself out of the running for PM, cites short runway, age and health as factors". TODAY. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ "PMO | Changes to Cabinet and Other Appointments (April 2021)". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "For some reason, a large proportion of S'pore's ministers & opposition leaders have been Teochews". mothership.sg. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ "Chang Hwee Nee appointed National Heritage Board CEO". 20 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "Heng Swee Keat: I protested when I was moved". Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ Ang, Jolene (2020-03-09). "DPM Heng Swee Keat pays tribute to his wife in celebration of International Women's Day". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
Other websites
changeGovernment offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Koh Yong Guan |
Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore 2005 – 2011 |
Succeeded by Ravi Menon |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Ng Eng Hen |
Minister for Education 2011 – 2015 |
Succeeded by Ng Chee Meng as Minister for Education (Schools) |
Succeeded by Ong Ye Kung as Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) | ||
Preceded by Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
Minister for Finance 2015 – 2021 |
Succeeded by Lawrence Wong |
Preceded by Teo Chee Hean Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
Deputy Prime Minister Serving with: Lawrence Wong 2019 – present |
Incumbent |
Assembly seats | ||
Preceded by Sin Boon Ann |
Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC (Tampines Central) 2011 – 2020 |
Succeeded by Koh Poh Koon |
Preceded by Lim Swee Say |
Member of Parliament for East Coast GRC (Bedok) 2020 – present |
Incumbent |