MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Tan Hung Seng as Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt and Wong Kwok Pun as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Government has appointed Mr Tan Hung Seng as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt and Mr Wong Kwok Pun as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Mr Tan Hung Seng joined the Singapore Foreign Service in 1990. He last served as Director/Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia in the Ministry's headquarters (June 2007 to June 2009). He has also worked in various capacities on issues related to International Organisations and ASEAN/ASEAN Regional Forum. Between 1999 and 2005, Mr Tan also served in the Singapore Embassies in Cairo and Bangkok as Deputy Chief of Mission/Counsellor. Mr Tan will assume post in Egypt on 26 July 2009.

Mr Wong Kwok Pun joined the Singapore Foreign Service in 1975. He last served as Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt (June 2006 to June 2009). He was Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand (1995 - 1998), with concurrent accreditation to Laos. He was also High Commissioner to the Republic of India (1999 to 2002), with concurrent accreditation to Nepal. Mr Wong had also served as Singapore's Non-Resident Ambassador to the State of Qatar and to the State of Kuwait. He had also served in the Singapore Embassies in Washington, Manila and Tokyo. In the Ministry's headquarters, he served as Director/ASEAN (1993 - 1994), Director/Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate IV (2002 - 2005) and Director (Special Duties) from 2005 to 2006. Mr Wong will assume post in Saudi Arabia on 1 August 2009.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
24 JUNE 2009
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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR TAN HUNG SENG

Mr Tan Hung Seng was the Director in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Born on 12 August 1964, Mr Tan graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science degree, Second Class Honours (Upper) from the National University of Singapore in 1990. He obtained his Master of Arts (Merit) degree in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies, United Kingdom, in 1998, under the Raffles/Chevening Scholarship.

Mr Tan joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1990 and has worked in various capacities on issues related to International Organizations, ASEAN/ASEAN Regional Forum and the Middle East. His overseas postings have included two stints in Egypt (as First Secretary from 1992 to 1995 and as Deputy Chief of Mission/Counsellor from 2003 to 2005) as well as a posting in Bangkok, where he was Deputy Chief of Mission/Counsellor from 1999 to 2003.

Mr Tan is married to Mdm Kayo Suzuki and they have two daughters.

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Jun 09

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR WONG KWOK PUN

Mr Wong Kwok Pun was the Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt (June 2006 to June 2009). He was also Singapore's non-resident Ambassador to the State of Qatar (February 2006 to June 2009) and to the State of Kuwait (June 2007 to June 2009).

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 (1977-1981) and later as Counsellor in the Singapore Embassies in Manila (1984-1988) 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. He was Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from April 2005 to May 2006.

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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Jun 09