Ong Ye Kung to head Chinese liaison group
Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung will head a group tasked with building ties between the Government and the Chinese community from August 1, taking over from National Trades Union Congress secretary-general Chan Chun Sing. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung is the new head of a group tasked with building ties between the Government and the Chinese community, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced on Monday (July 31).
He will take over on Tuesday from National Trades Union Congress secretary-general Chan Chun Sing, who has been chairman of the Chinese Community Liaison Group (CCLG) since 2014.
The group, consisting of office-holders and Members of Parliament, was set up in 2000. Aside from building ties between the Government and the community, it also aims to strengthen cooperation amongst the various Chinese groups.
In the PMO statement, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong thanked Mr Chan, who will remain an adviser to the CCLG, for his contributions.
“(Mr Chan) did much to deepen and expand CCLG’s engagement with the Chinese community,” the PMO said.
Apart from canvassing for feedback and concerns from community leaders, Mr Chan worked with them on government programmes, explaining initiatives to the community.
He also extended the reach of CCLG beyond the Chinese clan and business associations, to include media, sports, arts and cultural groups.
Mr Ong joined the CCLG in 2015 as a member, and has been “actively involved” with Chinese groups, especially those in the media, arts and cultural sectors.
“Being Minister for Education, Mr Ong will be able to engage educators on ways to strengthen the Singapore Chinese identity, in our multi-racial context,” the PMO said. “Prime Minister Lee is confident that under Mr Ong’s leadership, the CCLG will continue to deepen ties between the Government and the Chinese community.”
In a Facebook post, Mr Chan said his time working with CCLG members and leaders and members of the Chinese community has been “enriching”.
“I am grateful to them for their advice, insights and collaboration that have enabled our efforts to strengthen the greater Chinese community,” he wrote.
“This is a journey that I continue to be committed to as an advisor to the CCLG. I wish Ye Kung the best in his chairmanship of the CCLG, and I look forward to the CCLG members and the Chinese community lending him the strong support that I have benefitted from.”
