Ng Chee Meng


Ng Chee Meng is a former Singaporean politician who was the Minister in Prime Minister's Office from 1 May 2018 to 10 July 2020. His previous postings included Minister for Education in charge of Schools portfolio from 1 October 2015 to 31 October 2016 in acting capacity and from 1 November 2016 to 30 April 2018 in official capacity as well as the Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC from 11 September 2015 to 23 June 2020 and has also been the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress since 1 May 2018.
He served as the 8th Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces from 2013 to 2015, and held the rank of Lieutenant-General. He was also the Chief of the Republic of Singapore Air Force from 2009 to 2013. Upon retirement from military career, Ng announced his intention to enter politics, and is the highest ranking officer to join the ruling party. In the 2015 Singapore general election, he was fielded to the Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC and won its Punggol North seat, paving way to be a MP successfully. Ng also served as the Senior Minister of State at the Ministry for Transport from 1 October 2015 to his promotion to the Second Minister in 1 November 2016 and served till 30 April 2018.

Education

Ng was educated at The Chinese High School and Hwa Chong Junior College, and was awarded the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Training Award in 1987. 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.

Military career

Ng joined the Singapore Armed Forces 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.
Ng succeeded his elder brother, Ng Chee Khern, as the Chief of Air Force on 10 December 2009. He relinquished this position to Hoo Cher Mou on 25 March 2013, and succeeded Neo Kian Hong as the Chief of Defence Force on 27 March. He was promoted from the rank of Major-General to Lieutenant-General on 27 June 2013. 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.
Ng retired from the SAF on 18 August 2015 and was replaced by Perry Lim as the CDF.

Political career

Ng confirmed on 18 August 2015 after retiring from the SAF that he would enter politics. On 22 August, the People's Action Party 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. The PAP team won, clinching 72.89% of the electorate's valid votes in the constituency. Ng was appointed acting Minister of Education. Subsequently, Ng was the Second Minister for Transport and Minister of Education from 1 November 2016 - 30 April 2018.
On 23 April 2018, Ng joined the National Trades Union Congress and was appointed as its Deputy Secretary-General. On 22 May 2018, Ng was elected by the NTUC Central Committee members to become Secretary-General of the NTUC.
On 29 June 2020, the media announced that Ng will lead the People's Action Party contesting in the new Sengkang Group Representation Constituency in the 2020 Singaporean general election. On 30 June 2020, 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.

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, and was the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Provident Fund Board from 2015 to 2019.

Awards