Heng Chee How
Heng Chee How (born 14 July 1961) is a retired Singaporean politician and trade unionist affiliated with the People's Action Party (PAP). He served as Senior Minister of State for Defence from 2018 and as Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) from 1999, roles in which he advocated for workers' rights, skills upgrading, and tripartite cooperation between labour, employers, and government.[1][2][3] Before entering politics, Heng had a career in law enforcement and labour relations, joining the Singapore Police Force in 1983 and rising to the rank of superintendent by 1995. He then transitioned to the NTUC, where he became executive secretary of unions such as the United Workers' Union and Food, Drinks and Allied Workers' Union, focusing on protecting older workers and enhancing re-employment opportunities.[1][2] Heng entered Parliament in 2001 as the MP for Whampoa ward in Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), following an unsuccessful contest in Hougang Single Member Constituency in 1997, serving until his retirement ahead of the 2025 general election after 24 years as MP and 27 years as grassroots adviser. During his tenure, he held various ministerial positions, including Minister of State for Trade and Industry, National Development, Health, and the Prime Minister's Office, and Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office from 2011 to 2018; he also served as Mayor of Central Singapore District from 2001 to 2006. Notable contributions include championing policies like Workfare Training Support, SkillsFuture initiatives, and infrastructure improvements for seniors in Whampoa, such as flood mitigation and estate rejuvenation.[1][2]
Early Life and Education
Formative Years and Family Background
Heng Chee How was born on 14 July 1961 in Singapore.[4][5] His secondary and pre-university education took place at Raffles Institution, a prominent independent school established in 1823 that emphasizes academic excellence and leadership development.[4][6] Public records provide limited details on his family background or specific childhood influences, with no verifiable information on parental occupations or early personal circumstances available from official or journalistic sources.Academic and Early Professional Influences
Heng Chee How received his secondary and pre-university education at Raffles Institution, a prestigious independent school in Singapore known for its rigorous academic standards and emphasis on leadership development.[4] This formative schooling laid the groundwork for his analytical skills and public service orientation, though specific teachers or curricula influences are not publicly detailed in available records. In 1980, at age 19, he was awarded the Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship, which funded his undergraduate studies in Economics at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983.[7] Despite an initial ambition to pursue medicine, Heng opted for the police scholarship, marking a pivotal shift toward public security and governance-oriented economics training that emphasized resource allocation, policy analysis, and institutional efficiency—core elements shaping his later approaches to labour and defence policy.[8] He returned to Cambridge in 1987 to earn a Master of Philosophy in Management Studies, further deepening his expertise in organizational leadership and strategic management, influenced by the university's focus on evidence-based decision-making amid Britain's post-industrial economic challenges. Upon completing his studies, Heng began his early professional career in the Singapore Police Force (SPF), serving for 12 years in roles that exposed him to operational discipline, community policing, and crisis management.[7] The SPF's structured environment, bonded through the scholarship, instilled a commitment to national service and hierarchical teamwork, contrasting with his academic exposure to theoretical economics and fostering a practical, ground-level perspective on societal order and worker welfare that would inform his subsequent transition to the labour movement. No explicit mentors from this period are documented, but the Force's meritocratic culture and emphasis on integrity under leaders like Commissioner Goh Yong Hong aligned with Singapore's broader civil service ethos of pragmatic governance.Professional Career Before Politics
Service in the Singapore Police Force
Heng Chee How joined the Singapore Police Force following his graduation from the National University of Singapore in 1983 with a Second Class (Upper) Honours degree.[4] He served for 12 years, rising to the rank of superintendent through a combination of command and staff appointments.[4][7] During his tenure, which spanned from approximately 1983 to 1995, Heng held operational leadership roles that contributed to the Force's maintenance of public order and law enforcement in a period of Singapore's rapid urbanization and economic growth.[4] Specific command positions included oversight in divisions such as Central Division in the early 1990s, though detailed operational records remain internal to the Force.[1] His staff roles likely involved administrative and planning functions supporting policing strategies, aligning with the SPF's emphasis on professionalization during that era.[4] Heng's police service instilled a commitment to public safety and community engagement, themes he later referenced in parliamentary speeches commemorating the SPF's bicentennial in 2021, expressing pride in the Force's historical role in safeguarding Singaporeans.[9] He departed the SPF in 1995 to join the National Trades Union Congress, marking a transition from law enforcement to labour advocacy.[1][2]Entry into the Labour Movement and NTUC Roles
Following his service in the Singapore Police Force, where he attained the rank of superintendent, Heng Chee How joined the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) in 1995, marking his entry into Singapore's labour movement.[1][2] This transition positioned him to engage directly with workers' interests through union activities, leveraging his prior experience in public service and organizational management. In his initial NTUC roles, Heng served as Chief Executive Officer of the NTUC Club, responsible for recreational and community engagement programs for union members, and as Executive Secretary of the United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI), advocating for workers in the electronics sector.[7][10] These positions involved operational leadership and representation of affiliated unions, focusing on enhancing member welfare and fostering tripartite collaboration between labour, employers, and government prior to his electoral debut in 1997. By 1999, Heng was elevated to Deputy Secretary-General of the NTUC, overseeing strategic labour policies and union coordination across sectors.[11] In this capacity, he contributed to initiatives addressing skills development and employment stability, though his pre-political tenure emphasized groundwork in union administration and worker representation.[12]Political Career
Entry into Parliament and Electoral History
Heng Chee How entered electoral politics in the 1997 general election as the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for Hougang Single Member Constituency, where he lost to the incumbent Workers' Party Member of Parliament Low Thia Khiang by a margin reflecting approximately 42% support for the PAP candidate.[13] He was first elected to Parliament in the 2001 general election as part of the PAP's five-member team contesting Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), serving specifically as the representative for the Whampoa ward.[14] The PAP team defeated the opposition Singapore Democratic Alliance, securing a comfortable victory that allowed Heng to begin his parliamentary tenure focused on labour and community issues in Whampoa.[15] Heng was re-elected in Jalan Besar GRC in every subsequent general election, including 2006, 2011, 2015, and 2020, consistently anchoring the Whampoa division amid the PAP team's dominance in the constituency. In the 2020 general election, the PAP slate, which included Heng, won 65.3% of the valid votes against the Progress Singapore Party's 34.7%.[16] This record of uninterrupted electoral success spanned 24 years in Parliament until his decision not to contest the 2025 general election, after which he retired from politics, citing over two decades of service to Whampoa residents.[1][2]| General Election Year | Constituency | PAP Vote Share | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Hougang SMC | ~42% | Workers' Party | Loss |
| 2001 | Jalan Besar GRC | Majority win | Singapore Democratic Alliance | Win (Whampoa MP) |
| 2006 | Jalan Besar GRC | Majority win | Workers' Party | Win |
| 2011 | Jalan Besar GRC | 58.0% | Workers' Party | Win |
| 2015 | Jalan Besar GRC | 61.2% | Singapore Democratic Party | Win |
| 2020 | Jalan Besar GRC | 65.3% | Progress Singapore Party | Win |