Wong Kan Seng

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Wong Kan Seng
黄根成
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1 September 2005
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Tony Tan Keng Yam
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1994
Preceded by S Jayakumar
In office
1988 – 1994
Preceded by S Dhanabalan
Succeeded by S Jayakumar
Minister for Community Development
In office
1987 – 1991
Deputy Chairman of People's Association
In office
1992 – 2006
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1997
Born 1946
Singapore
Nationality Singaporean
Political party People's Action Party
Spouse Ruth
Children 2
This is a Chinese name; the family name is 黄 (Huang).

Wong Kan Seng (simplified Chinese: 黄根成; pinyin: Huáng Gēnchéng; born 1946) is the Minister for Home Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. Wong is considered to be part of Singapore's third-generation leadership that includes Lee Hsien Loong, S Jayakumar, Yeo Cheow Tong, Mah Bow Tan and others.

Contents

[edit] His credentials

Wong received his education from Outram Secondary School during his Secondary and Pre-University school years. Later on, he went on to study at University of Singapore and London Business School. Talent-spotted for political office, Wong entered politics in 1984 after working in the civil service and private sector.[1] He became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1984 for the Kuo Chuan Constituency in Toa Payoh.

Within three years in politics, he was promoted to be Minister for Community Development in 1987 and later became the Minister for Home Affairs (since 1994). On 1 September 2005, Wong took over as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore when Dr Tony Tan stepped down. He is now one of the MPs for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.[2]

[edit] Homeland Security (Singapore)

As the Minister for Home Affairs, Wong has been a key figure in overseeing emergency planning, dealing with internal threats such as cults and terrorists, involved in law and order, border security rooting out criminals and illegal immigrants, and being tough on drugs.[3]

[edit] SARS

Wong was credited for his highly successful handling of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) crisis in 2003.[4] He was responsible for coordinating the inter-ministerial nation-wide effort to counter the epidemic. Drastic measures were taking to contain the virus, including rapid identification of infected or high-risk people, mandatory home quarantine measures, extensive health screening at immigration checkpoints, schools and hospitals and intensive public education programs. On 31 May 2003, Singapore was taken off the World Health Organization's list of SARS-affected countries.

[edit] Mas Selamat escape

On 27 Feb 2008, an alleged Jemaah Islamiyah leader escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre, leading to the largest manhunt in Singapore. Wong expressed his regret in Parliament for the escape on the next day after the occurrence, but stopped short of apologising for it.

"This should not have happened. I am sorry that it has (sic)."

He revealed that Mas Selamat bin Kastari escaped when he was being taken to the toilet before a meeting at the Family Visit Room.[5]

Criticism has been directed towards Wong Kan Seng, the Minister of Home Affairs in Singapore, with regards to the fact that news of Mas Selamat's escape was not disseminated to the public until four hours after its occurrence.[6] There have been calls for Wong to step down, given the severity of the security lapse. Some have stated that though appropriate action would be taken against the junior officers, none of the blame seemed to rest on him at all. The fallout has also been exacerbated over the public's outrage over the major pay hike for MPs in Singapore.

Political offices
Preceded by
?		 Deputy Chairman of People's Association
1992-2006		 Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
S Jayakumar		 Minister for Home Affairs
1994 – present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Tony Tan		 Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
2005 – present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
?		 Minister for Community Development
1987-1991		 Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
S Dhanabalan		 Minister for Foreign Affairs
1988-1994		 Succeeded by
S Jayakumar

[edit] References

  1. ^ Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all", The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004
  2. ^ The Cabinet - Mr Wong Kan Seng
  3. ^ Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all, The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004
  4. ^ Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all, The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004
  5. ^ Security lapse led to escape of JI leader Mas Selamat, says DPM Wong, Channelnewsasia.com, 28 Feb 2008
  6. ^ Wikipedia on Mas Selamat bin Kastari

[edit] External links