MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Singapore’s High Commissioner to Negara Brunei Darussalam and Appointment of Singapore’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Government has appointed Mr Joseph K H Koh as Singapore's next High Commissioner to Negara Brunei Darussalam and Mr Hirubalan V P as Singapore's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Mr Joseph K H Koh has previously worked in various capacities in the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he served as Deputy Secretary in 1996. His overseas postings have included assignments as Minister-Counsellor at the Singapore Embassy in Washington, Trade Representative at the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei from 1996 to 2002, and Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia from 2002 to 2005. Mr Koh will assume post in Negara Brunei Darussalam on 9 February 2006.

Mr Hirubalan V P was Singapore's High Commissioner to Negara Brunei Darussalam from 2002 to 2005. He has been in public service since 1973, first in the Singapore Armed Forces, followed by various positions in the Ministry of Defence. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 1996 and was assigned as Director of the ASEAN Directorate. He was later appointed Director of Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate I and Director of Special Duties. He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister-Counsellor at the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta. Mr Hirubalan will assume post in Saudi Arabia on 2 February 2006.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
25 JANUARY 2006

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Since joining the Singapore Civil Service in 1972, Mr Joseph K H Koh has worked in various capacities in the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served as a Minister-Counsellor in the Singapore Embassy in Washington in 1993 - 1994. He was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1995. Between 1996 and 2002, he was Singapore's Trade Representative in Taipei. He was Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia from October 2002 to December 2005.

Mr Koh was born in Singapore on 31 December 1948. He graduated from the University of Singapore in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree (First Class Honours in Zoology). He is an Honorary Research Associate at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, Department of Biological Sciences of the National University of Singapore. Mr Koh is married to Mdm Peifen P H Chu and they have two sons.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Hirubalan was is currently Singapore's High Commissioner to Negara Brunei Darussalam from January 2002 to December 2005.

Mr Hirubalan was born in Singapore on 8 September 1950. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) First Class in History from the University of Singapore in 1980 for which he was presented the Shell Gold Medal. He was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 1984 and proceeded to obtain his Masters in International Relations from Yale University, USA, graduating in 1986.

Mr Hirubalan joined the Singapore Armed Forces as a Second Lieutenant in 1973. He was transferred to the Ministry of Defence as an Administrative Assistant in 1981. Since then, he has held various appointments including Assistant Secretary (1983-1989), Principal Assistant Secretary (1989-1993), Deputy Director, Policy Office (1993-1995) and Director, Policy Planning (1995-1996).

Mr Hirubalan was transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 1996. He was Second Director, later Director, in the ASEAN Directorate from June to September 1996. He also served as Director, Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate I (1996-1997) before assuming duty as Director, Special Duties (1997 to February 1998). Mr Hirubalan assumed post at the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta in February 1998 as Minister-Counsellor and was appointed Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister-Counsellor in May 2000. He assumed duties as Singapore's High Commissioner to Brunei in January 2002.

Mr Hirubalan was awarded the Long Service Medal in 1995 and the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1996.

Mr Hirubalan is married to Mrs Manoranchitham Hirubalan and they have three children.

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