MFA Press Statement: Appointments of Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York and Singapore's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (27 July 2011)

The Government has appointed Mr Albert Chua as Singapore's next Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York and Mr T Jasudasen as Singapore's next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Mr Chua and Mr Jasudasen will assume post on 15 August 2011 and 22 August 2011 respectively.

Mr Chua was Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia from March 2008 to June 2011. He served as Principal Private Secretary to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong from August 2004 to September 2007, and as Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong from March 2004. Mr Chua was Deputy Secretary (Policy) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from August 2001 to February 2004.

Mr Chua joined the Administrative Service of the Singapore Civil Service and was appointed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1992. He served as Deputy Trade Representative at the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei from March 1994 to February 1997. In the Ministry's headquarters, Mr Chua served in various capacities on issues related to Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, Northeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and International Economics.

Mr Chua graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in English Literature from the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom in 1990. He received a Master in Public Administration degree from the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 2000.

Mr Chua is married to Patricia Lam and they have one daughter.

Mr Jasudasen was Singapore's High Commissioner to Malaysia from June 2006 to July 2011; Singapore's Ambassador to the Union of Myanmar from 2004 to 2006 and Singapore's Ambassador to the French Republic from 1997 to 2004. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1977 and has also served overseas tours at the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and the Singapore Embassy in Manila. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was Director of the ASEAN Directorate and Director/Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate IV (covering South Asia, The Middle East, Africa and Latin America).

Mr Jasudasen graduated with an Honours degree in Law from the University of Singapore in 1977 and later graduated from the Ecole Nationale d'Administration in Paris (ENA), France in 1984.

The Singapore Government awarded Mr Jasudasen the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1990 and the Long Service Medal in 2000. The French Government also decorated him twice, with the "Palmes Académiques" in 2002 and the "Légion d'Honneur" in 2004. The Sultan of Pahang (Malaysia) conferred on him the "Darjah Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang" (DSAP) which carries the title of "Dato" in October 2010.

Mr Jasudasen is married to Patricia Jasudasen. They have a son and twin daughters.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
27 JULY 2011

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR ALBERT CHUA

Mr Albert Chua served as Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia from March 2008 to June 2011.

Mr Chua joined the Administrative Service of the Singapore Civil Service and was appointed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 1992. He served as Deputy Trade Representative at the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei from March 1994 to February 1997. He was Deputy Director of Policy Planning and Analysis Directorate II (covering North America and Europe) and later Senior Deputy Director of Directorate III (covering Northeast Asia and Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific) from February to November 1997. Mr Chua was appointed Acting Director of Directorate III in December 1997 and became its Director in July 1998. In June 1999, Mr Chua embarked on a Master in Public Administration programme at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Upon completion of studies in July 2000, he returned to Singapore and was appointed Director of Directorate III and the International Economics Directorate. He was appointed as Deputy Secretary (Policy) in August 2001. In March 2004, Mr Chua was appointed as the Principal Private Secretary to then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and became the Principal Private Secretary to Senior Minister Goh from August 2004 to September 2007. From October 2007 to March 2008, Mr Chua assumed the appointment of Deputy Secretary (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Chua has served as Board Member of the National Heritage Board, Council Member of the National Arts Council and member of the Singapore Management University's Board of Trustees.

Mr Chua is married to Ms Patricia Lam. They have a daughter, Kiera Chua Yi Xin.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR T. JASUDASEN

Born in Port Dickson, Malaysia, in June 1952, Mr Jasudasen Thambynathan completed his school education at Raffles Institution and the National Junior College, Singapore, in 1970. He graduated with an Honours degree in Law from the University of Singapore (NUS) in 1977 and later graduated from the Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA) in Paris, France in 1984.

Mr Jasudasen served his National Service as an Armour Officer in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) (1971 to 1973).

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1977 and his overseas postings include: New York (1979 to 1981); Manila (1988 to 1990); and Kuala Lumpur (1991 to 1994).

Mr Jasudasen was appointed Ambassador to France with concurrent accreditation to Portugal, Spain and Israel (1997 to 2004). He was Ambassador to Myanmar from 2004 to 2006. In June 2006 he was appointed High Commissioner of Singapore in Malaysia.

The Singapore Government awarded him the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1990 and the Long Service Medal in 2000. The French Government also decorated him twice, with the Palmes Académiques in 2002 and the Légion d'Honneur in 2004. The Sultan of Pahang (Malaysia) conferred on him the Darjah Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (DSAP) which carries the title of "Dato" in October 2010.

Mr Jasudasen is married to Mrs Patricia Jasudasen. They have a son and twin daughters.

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