Ng Chee Meng

Ng Chee Meng PPA(E) (Chinese: 黄志明; pinyin: Huáng Zhìmíng; born 8 August 1968) is a Singaporean politician and former Chief of Defence Force. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has served as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) since May 2018. He served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office from May 2018 to July 2020, Minister for Education in charge of Schools from November 2016 to April 2018 in official capacity and from October 2015 to October 2016 in acting capacity as well as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC for Punggol North from September 2015 to June 2020. Besides his political career, he served as 8th Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) from March 2013 to August 2015, and held the rank of Lieutenant-General. He also served as Chief of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) from December 2009 to March 2013. After his retirement from the military career, he joined politics. He was fielded along with his PAP teammates to the Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC and eventually won the fight, [1] paving the way for him to become the MP. Ng also served as Senior Minister of State in the Ministry for Transport from October 2015 to his promotion in November 2016. He then served as the Second Minister for Transport from November 2016 to his another promotion in April 2018. During the 2020 Singapore general election, he led his PAP team which was fielded to the Sengkang GRC to face off the Workers' Party (WP) team, his team was eventually defeated. He was the highest ranking officer to join the ruling party and the second minister after Seet Ai Mee to be voted out after serving one term as an MP. He became the third cabinet minister to lose in a GRC to the opposition after George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua in Aljunied GRC in the 2011 general election.[2][3]

Ng Chee Meng PPA(E)
黄志明
Ng in 2014
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
In office 1 May 2018 – 26 July 2020 Serving with Indranee Rajah
Prime Minister	Lee Hsien Loong
Constituency	Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC
Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2018
Preceded by	Chan Chun Sing
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (Punggol North)
In office 11 September 2015 – 23 June 2020
Preceded by	Penny Low
Succeeded by	Yeo Wan Ling
Minister for Education (Schools)
In office 1 November 2016 – 30 April 2018 Acting: 1 October 2015 – 31 October 2016 Serving with Ong Ye Kung (Higher Education and Skills)
Prime Minister	Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by	Heng Swee Keat
Succeeded by	Ong Ye Kung (full Minister)
Second Minister for Transport
In office 1 November 2016 – 30 April 2018
Prime Minister	Lee Hsien Loong
Minister	Khaw Boon Wan
Chief of Defence Force
In office 27 March 2013 – 18 August 2015
Preceded by	Neo Kian Hong
Succeeded by	Perry Lim
Personal details
Born	(1968-08-08) 8 August 1968
Political party	People's Action Party
Spouse(s)	Michelle Lim Bee Leng
Children	2 daughters
Alma mater	United States Air Force Academy Tufts University
Military service
Allegiance	Singapore
Branch/service	Singapore Armed Forces
Years of service	1986–2015
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Commands	Commanding Officer, 144 Squadron Commander, Changi Air Base Deputy Head, Joint Communications and Information Systems Department Head, Air Plans Director, Joint Operations Deputy Chief of Air Force Chief of Air Force (2009–2013) Chief of Defence Force (2013–2015)

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Ng (Chinese: 黄; pinyin: Huáng).

Education

Ng was educated at The Chinese High School and Hwa Chong Junior College, and was awarded the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Training Award (Graduating) in 1987.[4] He completed a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering at the United States Air Force Academy in 1991, and graduated from the Singapore Command and Staff College in 1999. In 2002, he obtained a Master of Arts in international relations from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.[5]

Military career

Ng (left) with Itthaporn Subhawong and Gary L. North at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in March 2010

Ng joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in December 1986 and was a fighter pilot in the Republic of Singapore Air Force. During his military career, among the appointments he held were the following: Commanding Officer, 144 Squadron; Commander, Changi Air Base; Deputy Head, Joint Communications and Information Systems Department; Head, Air Plans; Director, Joint Operations; Deputy Chief of Air Force. He was also the Military Private Secretary to the Minister of Defence from December 1995 to July 1996.[5]

Ng succeeded his elder brother, Ng Chee Khern, as the Chief of Air Force on 10 December 2009.[6] He relinquished this position to Hoo Cher Mou on 25 March 2013,[7] and succeeded Neo Kian Hong as the Chief of Defence Force (CDF) on 27 March.[8] He was promoted from the rank of Major-General to Lieutenant-General on 27 June 2013.[9] Ng was the second air force general in Singapore's military history to be appointed as the CDF, after Bey Soo Khiang in 1995.

Ng chaired the organising committee for the state funeral of Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, from 23 to 29 March 2015. He also led the first round of the vigil guard who stood guard during Lee's lying in state in Parliament House from 25 to 28 March.[10][11]

Ng retired from the SAF on 18 August 2015 and was replaced by Perry Lim as the CDF.[10][11]

Political career

Ng confirmed on 18 August 2015 after retiring from the SAF that he would enter politics.[12] On 22 August, the People's Action Party (PAP) announced that Ng would be part of a six-member PAP team that would be contesting in Pasir Ris–Punggol Group Representation Constituency in the 2015 general election.[13] The PAP team won, clinching 72.89% of the electorate's valid votes in the constituency.[14] Ng was appointed Acting Minister of Education (Schools). Subsequently, Ng was the Second Minister for Transport and Minister of Education (Schools) from 1 November 2016 - 30 April 2018.

On 23 April 2018, Ng joined the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and was appointed as its Deputy Secretary-General.[15][16][17] On 22 May 2018, Ng was elected by the NTUC Central Committee members to become Secretary-General of the NTUC.[18][19]

On 29 June 2020, the media announced that Ng will lead the People's Action Party (PAP) contesting in the new Sengkang Group Representation Constituency in the 2020 Singaporean general election. On 30 June 2020 (Nomination Day), it was confirmed that Ng's PAP team will contest for Sengkang GRC against the Workers' Party team led by He Ting Ru. The newly created GRC has more than 120,000 eligible voters in GE2020.

On 10 July 2020, Ng's PAP team lost to the WP team by a margin of 4.26%, he lost his Member of Parliament seat, although he will keep his job as labour chief, Secretary-General of NTUC.[20][21]

Personal life

Ng has two notable brothers. The elder, Ng Chee Khern, was the Chief of Air Force from 2006 to 2009 and is currently the Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office. The younger, Ng Chee Peng, was the Chief of Navy from 2011 to 2014,[6] and was the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Provident Fund Board from 2015 to 2019.

Awards

• Pingat Pentadbiran Awam (Emas) (Tentera) (Public Administration Medal (Gold) (Military)), in 2011.[5]

References

1. "General plunges into electoral battlefield". The Straits Times. 5 September 2015.
2. "Singapore GE2020: PAP team led by Ng Chee Meng to face off against WP in new Sengkang GRC". The Straits Times. 28 June 2020.
3. "Singapore GE2020: PAP's Ng Chee Meng congratulates WP's Sengkang team on election win". Channel News Asia. 11 July 2020.
4. "NG CHEE MENG 黄志明" (PDF). www.pap.org.sg. pap.org.sg. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
5. "SAF Leadership". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
6. Jermyn Chow (17 October 2009). "Brother succeeds RSAF chief". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
7. "New Chief of Air Force takes command". AsiaOne. 25 March 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
8. "New Chief of Defence Force for the SAF". Ministry of Defence. 27 March 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
9. Ong Hong Tat (27 June 2013). "Greater responsibility & recognition: SAF promotes over 500 personnel". Cyber Pioneer. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
10. "Change in Chief of Defence Force and Chief of Army". MINDEF Official Releases. Ministry of Defence. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
11. "Chief of Defence Force Ng Chee Meng will retire after 29 years in SAF". Channel NewsAsia. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
12. Jermyn Chow (18 August 2015). "Outgoing Chief of Defence Force Ng Chee Meng to enter politics". The Straits Times. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
13. "Former defence chief Ng Chee Meng joins PAP's Pasir Ris–Punggol team". AsiaOne. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
14. "Results". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
15. Kwang, Kevin (23 April 2018). "Education Minister Ng Chee Meng, Koh Poh Koon join NTUC as deputy sec-gens". Channel NewsAsia (in Korean).
16. "Ng Chee Meng is new NTUC Deputy Sec-Gen, expected to take over as new labour chief". The Straits Times. 23 April 2018.
17. "Outgoing labour chief Chan Chun Sing lays out NTUC's focus going forward". Retrieved 5 April 2019.
18. "Ng Chee Meng steps up as labour chief, taking over from Chan Chun Sing". The Straits Times. 22 May 2018.
19. "Ng Chee Meng elected NTUC secretary-general". CNA.
20. "GE2020: Sengkang GRC a 'major loss' to 4G team, says PM Lee". TodayOnline. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
21. "Without a parliamentary seat, Ng Chee Meng can 'still be an effective labour chief but may not wield same influence'". TODAYonline.

External links

• Ng Chee Meng on Prime Minister's Office

Political offices
Preceded by Heng Swee Keat as Minister for Education	Minister for Education (Schools) 2016 – 2018 Acting: 2015 – 2016 Served alongside: Ong Ye Kung (Higher Education and Skills)	Succeeded by Ong Ye Kung as Minister for Education
Preceded by Chan Chun Sing Josephine Teo	Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office 2018 – 2020 Served alongside: Indranee Rajah	Succeeded by Maliki Osman Tan See Leng
Parliament of Singapore
Preceded by Penny Low	Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (Punggol North) 2015 – 2020	Succeeded by Yeo Wan Ling
Trade union offices
Preceded by Chan Chun Sing	Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress 2018 – present	Incumbent
Military offices
Preceded by Major-General Ng Chee Khern	Chief of the Republic of Singapore Air Force 10 December 2009 – 25 March 2013	Succeeded by Brigadier-General Hoo Cher Mou
Preceded by Lieutenant-General Neo Kian Hong	8th Chief of Defence Force 27 March 2013 – 18 August 2015	Succeeded by Major-General Perry Lim