MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Singapore’s Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 22 December 2014

        The Government has appointed Mr Dominic Goh as Singapore’s Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Mr Ong Keng Yong as Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

        Mr Goh will assume post as Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on 12 January 2015.  He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October 1994 and served as Director-General (Europe) from July 2012 to November 2014 and Director-General (International Economics) from February 2011 to July 2012.  He also served in the Singapore Embassy in Berlin - as Counsellor from August 2004 and subsequently, as Deputy Chief of Mission from November 2005 to May 2008.

        Mr Goh graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the National University of Singapore in 1990.  He was awarded the Singapore Government Scholarship in 2003 and obtained his Master of Arts in International Relations from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, United States of America in 2004. Mr Goh was appointed an honorary Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2014.

        Mr Goh is married to Mrs Sharon Goh. 

        Mr Ong Keng Yong is currently Ambassador-at-Large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Executive Deputy Chairman of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and Director of the School’s Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies. 

        Mr Ong was Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia from July 2011 to November 2014, and to India from August 1996 to August 1998.  Mr Ong was Secretary-General of ASEAN from January 2003 to January 2008.  He served as Singapore’s Non‑Resident Ambassador to Iran from February 2009 to July 2011.  He also served as Press Secretary to then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong from September 1998 to December 2002 and was Chief Executive Director of the People’s Association from 1999 to 2002.  In addition, Mr Ong served as Director of the Institute of Policy Studies in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy from June 2008 to June 2011.

        Mr Ong graduated from the University of Singapore with a LLB (Honours) in 1979 and a Master of Arts in Arab Studies (with distinction) from Georgetown University in Washington DC, USA, in 1983.

        Mr Ong was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1997, the Long Service Medal in 2002 and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2008 by the Singapore Government.  He received the Medal of Friendship of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 2007, and the Medal of Sahametrei of the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2007. 

        Mr Ong is married to Mdm Irene Tan Lee Chen.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

22 DECEMBER 2014

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

               Mr Dominic Goh previously held the post of Director-General of the Europe Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from July 2012 to November 2014.

               Born in Singapore, Mr Goh obtained his Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the National University of Singapore in 1990.  He was awarded the Singapore Government Scholarship in 2003 and obtained his Master of Arts in International Relations from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, United States of America in 2004.

               Mr Goh joined the Singapore Foreign Service in October 1994.  In the Ministry’s Headquarters, Mr Goh covered several portfolios including Consular and ASEAN.  He was Director-General for International Economics from February 2011 to July 2012.

               Mr Goh served in Bonn from February 1997 to August 1999.  He served two postings in Berlin from August 1999 to June 2000 and as Counsellor/Deputy Chief of Mission from August 2004 to May 2008.

               In 2014, Mr Goh was appointed an honorary Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

               Mr Goh is married to Mrs Sharon Goh. 

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December 2014

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

        Mr Ong Keng Yong is currently Ambassador-at-Large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

        Born in 1954, Mr Ong Keng Yong graduated from the University of Singapore with a LLB (Hons) and subsequently from Georgetown University (Washington DC, USA) with a MA in Arab Studies.  In 2008, he was Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre on Contemporary Central Asia and the Caucasus in the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

        Mr Ong began his diplomatic career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 1979.  He was posted to the Singapore Embassies in Saudi Arabia and the United States of America as well as the Singapore High Commission in Malaysia.  He was Singapore's High Commissioner to India and concurrently Ambassador to Nepal from August 1996 to August 1998.  From September 1998 to December 2002, he was Press Secretary to then-Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Goh Chok Tong.  At the same time, Mr Ong held senior appointments in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, and the People's Association in Singapore.

        Prior to his current appointment, Mr Ong was Singapore’s Non‑Resident Ambassador to Iran from February 2009 to July 2011.  He was Director of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore from June 2008 to June 2011.  Mr Ong served as Secretary-General of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), based in Jakarta, from January 2003 to January 2008. He served as Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia from July 2011 to November 2014.  He was appointed Executive Deputy Chairman of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, and Director of the School’s Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies in November 2014.

        Mr Ong was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1997, the Long Service Medal in 2002 and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2008 by the Singapore Government.  He also received the Medal of Friendship of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 2007, and the Medal of Sahametrei of the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2007. 

        Mr Ong is married to Mdm Irene Tan Lee Chen.

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November 14