MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Singapore’s Ambassador to The Arab Republic of Egypt and Singapore’s Ambassador to The Union of Myanmar

The Government has appointed Mr Wong Kwok Pun as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt and Mr Robert Chua Hian Kong as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Union of Myanmar.

Mr Wong is Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is also Singapore's Ambassador to the State of Kuwait and Singapore's Ambassador to the State of Qatar, resident in Singapore. He joined the Ministry in 1975 and was the Director of ASEAN Directorate from 1993 to 1994. He was Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand from 1995 to 1998 and High Commissioner to the Republic of India from 1999 to 2002. Between 2002 and 2005, he was the Director of Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate IV in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Wong will assume post in Egypt on 19 June 2006.

Mr Chua was Director of the Technical Co-operation Directorate from February 2004 to April 2006. He joined the Ministry in 1979. He served as Consul-General at the Singapore Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City and the Singapore Consulate-General in San Francisco from 2001 to 2002. He was Director of the Consular Directorate from 2003 to 2004. He was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2004. Mr Chua will assume post in Myanmar on 22 May 2006.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
27 APRIL 2006
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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Wong Kwok Pun is currently Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is also Singapore's Ambassador to the State of Kuwait and Singapore's Ambassador to the State of Qatar, resident in Singapore.

Mr Wong was born in Singapore on 22 July 1949. He graduated from the University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Science degree (Honours) in 1971. In 1982, he received his Master of International Public Policy degree from the Johns Hopkins University, USA.

Mr Wong joined the Singapore Foreign Service in 1975. He served as First Secretary in the Singapore Embassy in Washington (1977-81) and later as Counsellor in the Singapore Embassies in Manila (1984-88) and Tokyo (1988-1991). From 1993 to 1994, he was Director of the ASEAN Directorate. He was Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand between 1995 and 1998, and was concurrently accredited to Laos. Mr Wong served as High Commissioner to the Republic of India, with concurrent accreditation to Nepal, from January 1999 to April 2002. He was Director of Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate IV from May 2002 to March 2005.

Mr Wong was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 1986 and the Long Service Medal in 1998.

Mr Wong is married to Mdm Shirley Sim and they have three children.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Robert Chua Hian Kong was Director of the Technical Co-operation Directorate from February 2004 to April 2006.

Born in Singapore on 5 August 1954, Mr Chua joined the Foreign Service in 1979 after graduating with a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) degree in Political Science from the then University of Singapore. In 1985, he obtained a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Boston, USA under a Fulbright Scholarship.

Mr Chua has served as First Secretary in the Singapore Embassy in Washington (1987-1988). From 1991 to 1995, he was Counsellor in the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he held the posts of Deputy Director (International Organisations and Information) in the Policy Planning & Analysis Directorate III (1990-1991), Deputy Director in the Public Affairs Directorate (1995-1996) and Senior Deputy Director in the Technical Co-operation Directorate (1996-1999). He was Counsellor in the Singapore Embassy in Manila, (1999-2000), Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City from January 2001 to May 2002, and Consul-General in San Francisco from June to December 2002. He was the Director of the Consular Directorate from January 2003 to February 2004.

Mr Chua was awarded the Long Service Medal in 2002 and the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2004.

Mr Chua is married to Madam Hisayo Yoshida and they have a son and daughter.

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