Charles Chong

Charles Chong You Fook (simplified Chinese: 张有福; traditional Chinese: 張有福; pinyin: Zhāng Yǒufú, born 24 June 1953) is a former Singaporean politician. A former member of the country's governing People's Action Party (PAP), Chong is a former Member of Parliament representing Punggol East Single Member Constituency (Punggol East SMC), and was the Acting Speaker of Parliament, following the resignation of former Speaker Halimah Yacob on 7 August 2017. He was previously Chairman of the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) Council, which governs the NPCC and National Civil Defence Cadet Corps.

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Chong.

Charles Chong
张有福
Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore Acting
In office 7 August 2017 – 11 September 2017
Preceded by	Halimah Yacob (PAP)
Succeeded by	Tan Chuan-Jin (PAP)[1]
Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore
In office 17 October 2011 – 23 June 2020 Serving with Lim Biow Chuan
Speaker	Halimah Yacob (2011–2017) Tan Chuan-Jin (since 2017)
Preceded by	Indranee Rajah (PAP)
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Punggol East SMC
In office 11 September 2015 – 23 June 2020
Preceded by	Lee Li Lian (WP)
Succeeded by	Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC - Rivervale Division) (WP) and He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC - Buangkok Division) (WP)[2][3]
Majority	1,156 (3.52%)
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Joo Chiat SMC
In office 7 May 2011 – 25 August 2015
Preceded by	Chan Soo Sen (PAP)
Succeeded by	Edwin Tong (Marine Parade GRC - Joo Chiat Division) (PAP)
Majority	388 (2.02%)
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (Punggol Central)
In office 25 October 2001 – 19 April 2011
Preceded by	Michael Lim Chun Leng (Cheng San GRC: Punggol Central) (PAP)
Succeeded by	Teo Ser Luck (PAP)
Majority	61,704 (37.40%)
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Pasir Ris GRC (Pasir Ris Elias)
In office 2 January 1997 – 18 October 2001
Preceded by	Seat created
Succeeded by	Teo Chee Hean (Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC-Pasir Ris West) (PAP)
Majority	33,503 (41.80%)
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Eunos GRC (Pasir Ris)
In office 31 August 1991 – 16 December 1996
Preceded by	Teo Choong Tee(Changi SMC) (PAP)
Succeeded by	Teo Chee Hean(Pasir Ris GRC-Pasir Ris Central) (PAP)
Majority	4,160 (4.76%)
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Sembawang GRC (Nee Soon East)
In office 3 September 1988 – 14 August 1991
Preceded by	Seat created
Succeeded by	Ho Peng Kee (PAP)
Majority	20,718 (40.20%)
Personal details
Born	(1953-06-24) 24 June 1953
Nationality	Singaporean
Political party	People's Action Party (1988)
Education	Sydney Technical College

Chong retired as Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and MP for Punggol East SMC following his retirement from politics after 32 years on 23 June 2020.

Political career

Chong represented Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in Yishun East from 1988 to 1991, Eunos GRC between 1991 and 1996 in Pasir Ris, Pasir Ris GRC in Elias from 1997 to 2001, Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC in Punggol Central from 2001 to 2011, Joo Chiat Single Member Constituency (SMC) from 2011 to 2015, and Punggol East SMC from 2015 to 2020.

In the 2006 general elections, the PAP contested Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC against the Singapore Democratic Alliance. The PAP won with 68.70% of the votes in this GRC. In the 2001 general elections, the GRC was not contested and resulted in a walkover for Chong and his party in this GRC.

Chong contested the Joo Chiat SMC in the 2011 general elections after its incumbent MP, Chan Soo Sen, retired from politics.[4] He won 9,666 or 51.02% of the votes against Yee Jenn Jong from the Workers' Party. Chong was elected Deputy Speaker in the 12th Parliament.

In the 2015 general elections, the PAP fielded Chong in the opposition-held Punggol East SMC and unseated the incumbent Lee Li Lian of the Workers' Party with 51.76% of the vote. His victory was brought into question by Workers' Party Png Eng Huat because Chong had made a wild accusation against the Punggol East Town Council of missing funds worth $22.5 million just two days before polling day, it left the Workers' Party unable to respond in time due to the Cooling-off day restrictions of the Election Department.[5]

In Dec 2016, Chong announced he was diagnosed with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis three years ago and had a liver transplant on 1 Dec 2016, which his younger son Glenn, donated part of his liver. He was given 8 weeks Medical Leave and his duty was covered by Teo Chee Hean during his absence.[6]

On 11 January 2018, Chong was appointed chairman of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods.[7] His appointment attracted controversy as he is accused of spreading falsehood during the 2015 general election by insinuating that Punggol East SMC ran into financial troubles after the Workers' Party took over from PAP in 2013.[8]

He is the longest serving PAP back-bencher in Parliament and served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Singapore, as well as Acting Speaker when Halimah Yacob quit Parliament to stand for elected presidency.

Chong announced his retirement from politics on 27 June 2020.[9]

Personal life

Chong received his primary education in St. Michael's School and secondary education at Saint Joseph's Institution. He studied aircraft engineering at Sydney Technical College.

Chong is married and has two children. He is a Roman Catholic.

References

1. Chia, Lianne (11 September 2017). "Tan Chuan-Jin becomes Singapore's 10th Speaker of Parliament".
2. https://twitter.com/wpsg/status/1284854213382529024?s=20
3. https://www.straitstimes.com/sites/default/files/st_20150906_japunggol06_1664028_copy.jpg
4. Choo, Evelyn (27 March 2011). "GE: Charles Chong to stand in Joo Chiat SMC". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
5. Stolarchuk, Jewel (18 February 2018). "Where is the unaccounted $22.5 million town council funds? Hougang MP challenges Charles Chong – The Independent News". The Independent SG.
6. Au-Yong, Rachel (21 December 2016). "Punggol East MP Charles Chong recovering from liver transplant; son donated part of his liver".
7. Yuen, Sin (11 January 2018). "Select Committee on fake news named; includes two ministers, WP's Pritam Singh". The Straits Times.
8. Xu, Terry (17 January 2018). "Charles Chong's million-dollar surplus claim in General Election 2015". The Online Citizen.
9. Sholihyn, Ilyas (27 June 2020). "Longest-serving PAP backbencher Charles Chong to retire". Asiaone. Retrieved 27 June 2020.

External links

• CVs of MPs

Parliament of Singapore
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC (Nee Soon East) 1988 – 1991	Succeeded by Ho Peng Kee
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Eunos GRC (Pasir Ris) 1991 – 1997	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris GRC (Pasir Ris Elias) 1997 – 2001	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (Punggol South) 2001 – 2006	Succeeded by Teo Ser Luck
Preceded by Michael Lim	Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (Punggol Central) 2006 – 2011	Succeeded by Teo Ser Luck
Preceded by Chan Soo Sen	Member of Parliament for Joo Chiat SMC 2011 – 2015	Succeeded by Edwin Tong as MP for Marine Parade GRC (Joo Chiat)
Preceded by Lee Li Lian	Member of Parliament for Punggol East SMC 2015 – 2020	Succeeded by Louis Chua and He Ting Ru as MPs for Sengkang GRC (Rivervale) and (Buangkok)