Charles Chong

Speaker of the Parliament of SingaporeIn office
7 August 2017 – 11 September 2017Prime MinisterLee Hsien LoongPreceded byHalimah YacobSucceeded byTan Chuan-Jin^[1]Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of SingaporeIn office
17 October 2011 – 23 June 2020SpeakerMichael Palmer
Halimah Yacob
Tan Chuan-JinPreceded byIndranee RajahSucceeded byChristopher de Souza
Jessica TanMember of the Singapore Parliament
for Punggol East SMCIn office
11 September 2015 – 23 June 2020Preceded byLee Li LianSucceeded byConstituency abolishedMajority1,156 (3.52%)Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Joo Chiat SMCIn office
7 May 2011 – 25 August 2015Preceded byChan Soo SenSucceeded byEdwin TongMajority388 (2.02%)Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC
(Punggol Central)In office
25 October 2001 – 19 April 2011Preceded byMichael Lim Chun LengSucceeded byTeo Ser LuckMajority61,704 (37.40%)Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Pasir Ris GRC
(Pasir Ris Elias)In office
2 January 1997 – 18 October 2001Preceded byConstituency establishedSucceeded byTeo Chee HeanMajority33,503 (41.80%)Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Eunos GRC
(Pasir Ris)In office
31 August 1991 – 16 December 1996Preceded byTeo Choong TeeSucceeded byTeo Chee HeanMajority4,160 (4.76%)Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Sembawang GRC
(Nee Soon East)In office
3 September 1988 – 14 August 1991Preceded byConstituency establishedSucceeded byHo Peng KeeMajority20,718 (40.20%) Personal detailsBorn (1953-06-24) 24 June 1953 (age 70)
Colony of SingaporePolitical partyPeople's Action PartyEducationSydney Technical College

Charles Chong You Fook (Chinese: 张有福; pinyin: Zhāng Yǒufú; born 24 June 1953) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore between 2011 and 2020. He served as Acting Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore from 7 August to 11 September 2017, following the resignation of Halimah Yacob on 7 August 2017.

Education

Chong was educated at St. Michael's School and Saint Joseph's Institution before enrolling into Sydney Technical College to study aircraft engineering.

Political career

Chong represented Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in Yishun East from 1988 to 1991, Eunos GRC between 1991 and 1996 in Pasir Ris, Pasir Ris GRC in Elias from 1997 to 2001, Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC in Punggol Central from 2001 to 2011, Joo Chiat Single Member Constituency (SMC) from 2011 to 2015, and Punggol East SMC from 2015 to 2020.

In the 2006 general elections, the PAP contested Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC against the Singapore Democratic Alliance. The PAP won with 68.70% of the votes in this GRC. In the 2001 general elections, the GRC was not contested and resulted in a walkover for Chong and his party in this GRC.

Chong contested the Joo Chiat SMC in the 2011 general elections after its incumbent MP, Chan Soo Sen, retired from politics.^[2] He won 9,666 or 51.02% of the votes against Yee Jenn Jong from the Workers' Party. Chong was elected Deputy Speaker in the 12th Parliament.

In the 2015 general elections, the PAP fielded Chong in the opposition-held Punggol East SMC and unseated the incumbent Lee Li Lian of the Workers' Party with 51.76% of the vote.

In Dec 2016, Chong announced he was diagnosed with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis three years ago and had a liver transplant on 1 Dec 2016, which his younger son Glenn, donated part of his liver. He was given 8 weeks Medical Leave and his duty was covered by Teo Chee Hean during his absence.^[3]

On 11 January 2018, Chong was appointed chairman of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods.^[4]

He is the longest serving PAP back-bencher in Parliament and served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Singapore, as well as Acting Speaker when Halimah Yacob quit Parliament to stand for elected presidency.

Chong announced his retirement from politics on 27 June 2020.^[5]

Personal life

Chong is married and has two children. He is a Roman Catholic.

References

External links

• CVs of MPs

Parliament of Singapore
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC (Nee Soon East) 1988 – 1991	Succeeded by Ho Peng Kee
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Eunos GRC (Pasir Ris) 1991 – 1997	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris GRC (Pasir Ris Elias) 1997 – 2001	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (Punggol South) 2001 – 2006	Succeeded by Teo Ser Luck
Preceded by Michael Lim	Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (Punggol Central) 2006 – 2011	Succeeded by Teo Ser Luck
Preceded by Chan Soo Sen	Member of Parliament for Joo Chiat SMC 2011 – 2015	Succeeded by Edwin Tong as MP for Marine Parade GRC (Joo Chiat)
Preceded by Lee Li Lian	Member of Parliament for Punggol East SMC 2015 – 2020	Succeeded by Louis Chua and He Ting Ru as MPs for Sengkang GRC (Rivervale) and (Buangkok)