Tony Tan Keng Yam

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Tony Tan Keng Yam
Tony Tan Keng Yam
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Tan

Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam (Simplified Chinese: 陈庆炎博士; pinyin: Chén Qìngyán; Minnan: Tân Khèng-iām, born 7 February 1940, Singapore) is the former Deputy Prime Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for Security and Defence of Singapore.

Tan served as Minister of Finance from 24 October 1983 to 1 January 1985, as Minister of Education from January 1985 to December 1991, as Minister of Health between 2 January 1985 and 6 May 1985 and Minister for Trade and Industry between 7 May 1985 and 17 February 1986.

In December 1991, Dr Tan stepped down from the Cabinet to return to the private sector as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation. However, he retained his seat in Parliament as the Representative for the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency until retiring in 2006.

Dr. Tan rejoined the Cabinet on 1 August 1995 and was subsequently appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. In August 2003, Dr Tan was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for Security and Defence.

He is noted for his efforts by helping places such as Banda Aceh and Phuket, which were badly hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, notably in terms of helping out by reconstructing the city's infrastructure, and in coordinating donations for the tsunami victims.

Dr Tony Tan is married to Mary Chee Bee Kiang. They have four children: three sons and one daughter.

Dr Tony Tan stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister on September 1, 2005 and Wong Kan Seng, the Minister for Home Affairs, took over as the Deputy Prime Minister of the country.

After his retirement from the cabinet, Tan became the Chairman of the National Research Foundation and Deputy Chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council. He is also on the boards of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), and Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPH).

Preceded by
Ong Teng Cheong
Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
1995-2005
Succeeded by
Wong Kan Seng
Preceded by
Post not yet created
Coordinating Minister for Security and Defence
2001-2005
Succeeded by
S Jayakumar

(Post renamed Coordinating Minister for National Security)

Preceded by
?
Minister for Defence
?-2003
Succeeded by
Teo Chee Hean
Preceded by
Lee Kuan Yew
Minister for Finance
1983-1985
Succeeded by
Hu Tsu Tau Richard
Preceded by
?
Minister for Education
1985-1991
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
?
Minister for Health
1985-1985
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
?
Minister for Trade and Industry
1985-1986
Succeeded by
Lee Hsien Loong
In other languages