Ng Eng Hen
The Honourable Dr Ng Eng Hen MP | |
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黄永宏 | |
Ng Eng Hen at The Pentagon, United States, on 4 April 2012 | |
Minister for Defence | |
Assumed office 21 May 2011 | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Preceded by | Teo Chee Hean |
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC (Toa Payoh Central) | |
Assumed office 25 October 2001 | |
Preceded by | Ibrahim Othman |
Leader of the House | |
In office 31 May 2011 – 30 September 2015 | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Deputy | Heng Chee How |
Preceded by | Mah Bow Tan |
Succeeded by | Grace Fu |
Minister for Education | |
In office 1 April 2008 – 21 May 2011 | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Preceded by | Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
Succeeded by | Heng Swee Keat |
Minister for Manpower | |
In office 12 August 2004 – April 2007 | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Preceded by | Lee Boon Yang |
Succeeded by | Gan Kim Yong |
Second Minister for Defence | |
In office July 2005 – 21 May 2011 | |
Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
Preceded by | Teo Chee Hean |
Succeeded by | None |
Personal details | |
Born |
Singapore | December 10, 1958
Political party | People's Action Party (2001) |
Spouse(s) | Ivy Lim Swee Lian |
Children | 4 |
Alma mater | National University of Singapore |
Ng Eng Hen (simplified Chinese: 黄永宏; traditional Chinese: 黃永宏; pinyin: Huáng Yǒng Hóng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: N̂g Éng-hông; born 10 December 1958) is a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Minister for Defence since 2011 and was re-elected in this role in October 2015.[1] He previously served as the Minister for Manpower from 2004 to 2008 and Minister for Education from 2008 to 2011, as well as the Leader of the House in Parliament from 2011 to 2015. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC) since 2001.
Early life and education
Ng is one of six children and lived in a rental flat in Zion Road during his childhood. He attended Anglo-Chinese School and National Junior College, before going on to medical school at the National University of Singapore and fellowship training in surgical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.[2]
Career
Ng was a consultant surgeon at the Singapore General Hospital from 1992 to 1997, and maintained a private practice in Mount Elizabeth Hospital as a surgical oncologist from 1997 to 2001.[3]
Political career
In 2001, Ng was elected a Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh Group GRC. In 2002, he was made a Minister of State at the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Manpower.[4]
In August 2004, Ng became the Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Education. In 2005, his Second Minister's portfolio was switched from Education to Defence.
In April 2008, Ng was made the Minister for Education and relinquished the post of Minister for Manpower.
Ng has also served as Chairman of the Jobs Task Force at the Ministry of Manpower, and Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Low Wage Workers.
In June 2007, Ng travelled to France at the invitation of the French Ministry of Defence to visit the Paris Air Show and also to visit a permanent Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) detachment stationed at Cazaux Air Base in France.[5]
In March 2010, Ng mentioned that the weight of mother-tongue language examinations in the Singapore Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) might be reduced in order to benefit some students who are weak in their mother-tongue due to the emphasis on the English language in the Singapore education system. This sparked a debate among Singaporeans who support emphasis on mother-tongue languages in education. Ng subsequently assured Singaporeans that the weight of mother-tongue language in the PSLE would not be reduced.
In 2011, Ng was appointed as Minister for Defence. He was also appointed as Leader of the House in Parliament.
Private life
Ng is married to Ivy Lim Swee Lian, a paediatrician and geneticist who is the CEO of SingHealth.[6] They have four children, born between 1984 and 1994.
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ng Eng Hen. |
- Dr Ng Eng Hen - Official profile at cabinet.gov.sg
Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by None |
Second Minister for Education 2002 - 2003 |
Succeeded by None |
Preceded by Teo Chee Hean |
Second Minister for Defence 2003 – 2011 |
Succeeded by None |
Preceded by Lee Boon Yang |
Minister for Manpower 2003 – 2008 (Acting: 2003–2004) |
Succeeded by Gan Kim Yong |
Preceded by Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
Minister for Education 2008 – 2011 |
Succeeded by Heng Swee Keat |
Preceded by Teo Chee Hean |
Minister for Defence 2011 – present |
Incumbent |
Parliament of Singapore | ||
Preceded by Ibrahim Othman |
Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC (Toa Payoh Central) 2001 – present |
Incumbent |
Preceded by Mah Bow Tan |
Leader of the House 2011 – 2015 |
Succeeded by Grace Fu |