Heng Swee Keat
Heng Swee Keat PPA PJG (Chinese: 王瑞杰; pinyin: Wáng Ruìjié; born 15 April 1961) is a Singaporean politician and former police officer who has been serving as the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore since 2019 and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies since 2020. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Bedok division of East Coast GRC since 2020.
The Honourable Heng Swee Keat PPA PJG | |
|---|---|
王瑞杰 | |
Heng in 2012 | |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore | |
| Assumed office 1 May 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | Tharman Shanmugaratnam Teo Chee Hean |
| Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies | |
| Assumed office 27 July 2020 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
| 7th Chairman of the People's Action Party | |
| Assumed office 26 November 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Gan Kim Yong |
| Minister for Finance | |
| In office 1 October 2015 – 14 May 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Second Minister | Lawrence Wong Indranee Rajah |
| Preceded by | Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
| Succeeded by | Lawrence Wong |
| Minister for Education | |
| In office 21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | Ng Eng Hen |
| Succeeded by | Ng Chee Meng (Schools) Ong Ye Kung (Higher Education and Skills) |
| Member of the Singapore Parliament for East Coast GRC (Bedok) | |
| Assumed office 10 July 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Lim Swee Say |
| Member of the Singapore Parliament for Tampines GRC (Tampines Central) | |
| In office 7 May 2011 – 23 June 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Sin Boon Ann |
| Succeeded by | Koh Poh Koon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Heng Swee Keat 15 April 1961 State of Singapore |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Spouse |
Chang Hwee Nee (m. 1988) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Christ's College, Cambridge (MA) Harvard University (MPA) |
| Signature | |
| Police career | |
| Department | Singapore Police Force |
| Service years | 1983–1997 |
| Rank | Assistant Commissioner |
Heng had previously served as Minister for Education between 2011 and 2015 and Minister for Finance between 2015 and 2021.
Prior to entering politics, Heng worked in the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). He was also the principal private secretary to Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew between 1997 and 2001.
He made his political debut in the 2011 general election as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in Tampines GRC and won with 57.22% of the vote. He then elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Tampines Central ward of Tampines GRC and managed to retain his parliamentary seat in the 2015 general election with 72.06% of the vote before switching to contest in East Coast GRC in the 2020 general election.
Heng was poised to succeed Lee Hsien Loong as the fourth prime minister of Singapore following his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore in May 2019 and First Assistant Secretary-General of the People's Action Party in November 2018. However, Heng subsequently withdrew himself from the nomination in April 2021.