Singapore appoints new civil service chiefs

By on 06/11/2019 | Updated on 24/09/2020
Image courtesy: jjcb/flickr

Five civil servants have been appointed to permanent secretary and second permanent secretary positions in four departments, the Singapore Public Service Division (PSD) announced last week.

On 18 November, Stanley Loh Ka Leung will take on the roles of second permanent secretary (special duties) at the Prime Minister’s Office, second permanent secretary at the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and second permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Loh, a career diplomat, has served in various posts at MFA in recent years, including deputy secretary (international) between 2011 and 2012, director of the Middle East directorate in 2005, and deputy chief of mission of the Singapore Embassy in the US in 2000, according to The Straits Times.

His most recent post, which he has held since March 2012, is that of ambassador to China. Former transport minister Lui Tuck Yew, who has been ambassador to Japan since June 2017, will take over from Loh as ambassador to China.

In addition to his roles in the MFA, Loh was also press secretary in 2004 to prime minister and later senior minister, Goh Chok Tong.

Further appointments

Several other permanent secretary changes will take effect from 2 December.

Chan Yeng Kit will relinquish his role as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence and swap portfolios with Chan Heng Kee, who is currently permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health.

Ng How Yue will leave his post as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Law to focus on his work at the Ministry of Health, where he has been second permanent secretary since January 2017. He will be promoted to permanent secretary (health development) and will be charged with giving “greater focus to ageing issues, in addition to public health and health promotion,” according to PSD.

Loh Khum Yean, permanent secretary for the PSD, will take over from Ng How Yue in a second appointment as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Law.

About Mia Hunt

Mia is a journalist and editor with a background in covering commercial property, having been market reports and supplements editor at trade title Property Week and deputy editor of Shopping Centre magazine, now known as Retail Destination. She has also undertaken freelance work for several publications including the preview magazine of international trade show, MAPIC, and TES Global (formerly the Times Educational Supplement) and has produced a white paper on energy efficiency in business for E.ON. Between 2014 and 2016, she was a member of the Revo Customer Experience Committee and an ACE Awards judge. Mia graduated from Kingston University with a first-class degree in journalism and was part of the team that produced The River newspaper, which won Publication of the Year at the Guardian Student Media Awards in 2010.

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