Wong Kan Seng

Infobox Deputy Prime Minister
name = Wong Kan Seng
黄根成


office = Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
term_start = 1 September 2005
term_end =
primeminister=Lee Hsien Loong
predecessor = Tony Tan Keng Yam
successor = Incumbent
office2 = Minister for Home Affairs
term_start2 = 1994
term_end2 =
predecessor2 = S Jayakumar
successor2 =
office3 = Minister for Foreign Affairs
term_start3 = 1988
term_end3 = 1994
predecessor3 = S Dhanabalan
successor3 = S Jayakumar
office4 = Minister for Community Development
term_start4 = 1987
term_end4 = 1991
predecessor4 =
successor4 =
office5 = Deputy Chairman of People's Association
term_start5 = 1992
term_end5 = 2006
predecessor5 =
successor5 =
constituency_MP7 = Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency
term_start7 = 1997
term_end7 =
predecessor7 =
successor7 = Incumbent
birth_date = 1946
birth_place = Singapore
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = Singaporean
spouse = Ruth Lee Hong Geok
party = People's Action Party
relations =
children = 2
residence =
alma_mater =
occupation =
profession =
religion =

Wong Kan Seng (zh-sp|s=黄根成|p=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.

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. [Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all", The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004] 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. [ [http://www.cabinet.gov.sg/CabinetAppointments/Mr%2BWong%2BKan%2BSeng.htm The Cabinet - Mr Wong Kan Seng ] ]

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. [Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all, The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004]

SARS

Wong was then responsible for coordinating the inter-ministerial nation-wide effort to counter the epidemic. [Emergencies and threats? He's tackled them all, The Straits Times (Singapore), 15 Aug 2004] Certain measures were taken to contain the virus, including mandatory home quarantine measures, health screening at immigration checkpoints, schools and hospitals and public education programs. On 31 May 2003, Singapore was taken off the World Health Organization's list of SARS-affected countries.

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. [Security lapse led to escape of JI leader Mas Selamat, says DPM Wong, Channelnewsasia.com, 28 Feb 2008]

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. [Wikipedia on Mas Selamat bin Kastari] 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.

References

External links

* [http://www.parliament.gov.sg/AboutUs/Org-MP-MP-Prof-WongKanSeng.htm Singaporean Cabinet Bio]
* [http://theonlinecitizen.com/2008/02/28/%E2%80%9Climping-terorist%E2%80%9D-escapes-10-questions-for-wong-kan-seng/ “Limping Terorist” escapes - 10 questions for Wong Kan Seng]
* [http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSSIN16441320070405 Singapore ministers set for million-dollar pay hike]
* [http://www.forbes.com/2007/04/13/singapore-govt-pay-face-cx_jc_0412autofacescan01.html Singaporeans Fume Over Ministers' Pay Hike]