Chong Kee Hiong
Chong Kee Hiong ( Hanzi :钟奇雄; Pinyin : Zhōng Qíxiǒng ; Jyutping : Zung1 Kei4 Hung4 ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Cheng Kî-hiông ; born April 1966) is a Singaporean politician and accountant. He is a People's Action Party (PAP) member and has been the PAP Community Foundation treasurer since 2020. He has been a Member of Parliament representing the Bishan East division of Bishan–Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC since 2015.
Early Life and Education
Chong received education at Raffles Institution and Junior College before winning a scholarship from KPMG to earn a Bachelor of Accountancy at the National University of Singapore (NUS). After graduating from the NUS in 1990, he finished an Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2008. Chong is also known as one of the NTU alums, as NUS School of Accountancy was moved to NTU in 1987.
He is a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants.
Career in Finance
Chong has an extensive experience in the financial industry, spanning over 30 years. He has held multiple positions, such as: CEO of OUE Hospitality REIT Management Pte Ltd (2013-2018) CEO of The Ascott Limited (2012-2013) Chief Financial Officer of Raffles Holdings Limited (2001-2004)
He has been the CEO of Suntec REIT since 2019.
Political Career
Chong began his political career after being announced as a member of the PAP team contesting in Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC in 2015. The party dominated the poll by winning 73.59% of the votes. He was re-elected in 2020 after the party earned 67.26% of the votes. Chong was elected deputy chairman of the government's Parliamentary Committee for National Development. In addition to that, he is a member of the Defence and Foreign Affairs committee.
Community Initiatives
Chong has launched several initiatives focusing on community welfare as below:
- Equal Start Programme: Aimed at giving children from low-income families access to non-academic activities such as taekwondo and music.
- Project Gold: Aimed at assisting seniors with digital literacy through consultation clinics.
Controversies
In September 2020, he made a controversial statement that allowed employees to take a second job for better job security. However, such a plan must be subject to the country's labor regulations. His statement provoked outrage from Singaporeans, arguing that getting one full-time job in Singapore was hard.
Personal Life
Chong is married and a father of four sons. His wife is Monica, whom he met at KPMG.