MFA Press Statement: Appointments of Singapore’s Ambassador to the State of Qatar, Singapore’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Switzerland

The Government has appointed Mr Wong Kwok Pun as Singapore's first resident Ambassador to the State of Qatar, Mr Lawrence Anderson as Singapore’s next Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Mr Tee Tua Ba as Singapore’s Ambassador to Switzerland (resident in Singapore). Mr Wong and Mr Anderson will assume post on 17 March 2013 and 30 March 2013 respectively.

Mr Wong Kwok Pun joined the Singapore Foreign Service in 1975. His most recent appointment was as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (August 2009 to February 2013), with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain (January 2010 to February 2013). Mr Wong served as Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt (June 2006 to June 2009), and as Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to the State of Qatar (February 2006 – June 2009) and the State of Kuwait (June 2007 – June 2009). He was Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand (1995 - 1998), with concurrent accreditation to Laos. Subsequently, he was High Commissioner to the Republic of India (1999 - 2002), with concurrent accreditation to Nepal. In addition, Mr Wong served in the Singapore embassies in Washington, Manila and Tokyo. In the Ministry's headquarters, he was Director/ASEAN (1993 - 1994), Director/Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate IV (2002 - 2005, covering South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America) and Director (Special Duties) from 2005 to 2006.

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

Mr Wong was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 1986, the Long Service Medal in 1998 and the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2010.

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

Mr Lawrence Anderson joined the Singapore Foreign Service in 1984. His most recent appointment was as Director/Special Duties in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and concurrently as Diplomat-in-Residence at the Civil Service College (February 2011 to February 2013). He served as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia (2004 to 2007). He was Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Mission in the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok (1996 - 1999). He had also served in the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York in 1988 and the Singapore Embassy in Washington (1988 - 1991). In the Ministry’s headquarters, he held various posts such as Deputy Director of Regional Policy in the Policy Planning & Analysis Directorate I (1994 – 1996, covering Southeast Asia), Deputy Director of Regional Policy in the ASEAN Directorate (1999 - 2002) and Director of Technical Cooperation Directorate (2002 - 2004). Mr Anderson was Director of the Europe Directorate from April 2007 until January 2011, when he was appointed the Director/Special Duties.

Mr Anderson graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts (History) with Honours in 1984. In 1994, he was awarded the Raffles Scholarship and obtained a Master of Arts in Area Studies (Southeast Asia) from the School of Oriental and African Studies, United Kingdom.

Mr Anderson was awarded the Long Service Medal in 2007. He is married to Ms Maureen Tan and they have a son.

Mr Tee had served as Singapore’s High Commissioner to Negara Brunei Darussalam from August 1997 to December 2001 and Singapore’s Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt, with concurrent accreditation to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus, from January 2002 to 2006. He was Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates from April 2008 to December 2012.

Mr Tee had a distinguished career in the Ministry of Home Affairs before joining the Singapore Foreign Service in 1997. He joined the Police Force in July 1967 and held various appointments within the Ministry of Home Affairs. He served as Commissioner of Police from July 1992 till his retirement in July 1997.

Mr Tee has served as Chairman of the Singapore Red Cross Society since December 2008. He is currently the Chairman of Portcullis Trust (Singapore) Ltd and an Independent Director of Chinese Global Group Ltd. He was a Director of Singapore Corp of Rehabilitative Enterprises from July 1972 to June 1992 and Director of Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation of Singapore from 1992 to 1997.

Mr Tee was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1974, the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 1981 and the Meritorious Service Medal in 1998. He received the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association’s Gold Medal of Honour in 1986. He also received the Panglima Setia Makhota (PSM) in 1994 and the Royal Malaysia Police Order of Valour Medal in 1996.

Mr Tee is married to Mdm Adelene Kong and they have two sons.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
27 FEBRUARY 2013
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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR WONG KWOK PUN

         Mr Wong Kwok Pun (黄国宾) was Singapore’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (August 2009 to February 2013), with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain (January 2010 to February 2013).  He was the Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt (June 2006 to June 2009), 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 (covering South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America) 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, the Long Service Medal in 1998 and the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2010.

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

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR LAWRENCE ANDERSON           

              Mr Lawrence Anderson was Director/Special Duties in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and concurrently Diplomat-in-Residence at the Civil Service College (February 2011 to February 2013).

              Born on 30 December 1958, Mr Anderson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (History) with Honours in 1984 from the National University of Singapore.  In 1994, he was awarded the Raffles Scholarship and obtained a Master of Arts in Area Studies (Southeast Asia) from the School of Oriental and African Studies, United Kingdom.

              Mr Anderson joined the Foreign Service in 1984.  He served as First Secretary to the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York in 1988 and the Singapore Embassy in Washington (1988-1991). He was Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Mission in the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok between 1996 and 1999.  In MFA HQ, he held various posts such as Deputy Director of Regional Policy in the Policy Planning & Analysis Directorate I (covering Southeast Asia) (1994 - 1996), Deputy Director of Regional Policy in the ASEAN Directorate (1999 - 2002) and Director of Technical Cooperation Directorate (2002-2004).  He was appointed Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia from March 2004 to April 2007.  Upon his return to Singapore, Mr Anderson took up duty as Director of the Europe Directorate from April 2007 until January 2011, when he was appointed the Director/Special Duties.

              Mr Anderson was awarded the Long Service Medal in 2007.  He is married to Ms Maureen Tan and they have a son.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR TEE TUA BA

                   Mr Tee Tua Ba was Singapore’s Ambassador (Non-Resident) to the United Arab Emirates from April 2008 to December 2012.

                   Mr Tee was born in Singapore on 17 June 1942.  He graduated from the University of Singapore with a LLB Honours degree in 1966 and was admitted as an advocate and solicitor to the Supreme Court of Singapore in 1967.  He attended the Senior Command Course, Bramshill Police College, United Kingdom in 1982 and the Advanced Management, INSEAD, France in 1989.

                   Mr Tee joined the Police Force as Assistant Superintendent of Police in July 1967.  Since then, he has held various appointments within the Ministry of Home Affairs, which include Officer-in-Charge, Marine Police 1974 to 1976, Commander(Areas) of Police Divisions from November 1976 to March 1978, Director, Central Narcotics Bureau from April 1978 to March 1981 and Director of Criminal Investigation Department in 1981.  He was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police from 1982 to 1987.  He held the post of Director, Prisons from June 1987 till June 1992.  He assumed his appointment as Commissioner of Police in July 1992.  He retired as Commissioner of Police in July 1997. 

                    Mr Tee was Singapore's High Commissioner to Negara Brunei Darussalam from August 1997 to December 2001.  He was also Singapore’s Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt, with concurrent accreditation to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus from January 2002 to March 2006.

                   Throughout his career with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Tee received many awards, among them the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1974, the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 1981 and the Meritorious Service Medal in 1998.  He received the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association, Gold Medal of Honour in 1986.  He also received the Panglima Setia Makhota (PSM) in 1994 and the Royal Malaysia Police Order of Valour Medal in 1996.

                   Mr Tee also held directorships in several companies and organisations.  He was the Director of Singapore Corp of Rehabilitative Enterprises from July 1972 to June 1992.  He was a member of the Singapore Sports Council from October 1993 to September 1996.  He was also appointed Director of Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation of Singapore from 1992 to 1997.  He is currently the Chairman of Portcullis Trust (Singapore) Ltd and an Independent Director of Chinese Global Group Ltd [previously known as the Middle East Development (Singapore) Ltd].  He has also been Chairman of the Singapore Red Cross Society since December 2008.

                   Mr Tee is married to Mdm Adelene Kong and they have two sons.

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