Png Eng Huat

Png Eng Huat (simplified Chinese: 方荣发; traditional Chinese: 方榮發; born 9 December 1961) is a Singaporean politician and businessman. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) of Hougang SMC from 26 May 2012 to 23 June 2020, when he won the 2012 Hougang by-election. He was elected as the Workers’ Party Central Executive Committee member.

Png Eng Huat
方荣发
Png Eng Huat at a Workers' Party rally for the 2011 general election at the Bedok Stadium on 30 April 2011
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Hougang SMC
In office 26 May 2012 – 23 June 2020
Preceded by	Yaw Shin Leong (WP)
Succeeded by	Dennis Tan (WP)
Majority	3,469 (15.38%)
Personal details
Born	9 December 1961 Singapore
Nationality	Singapore
Political party	Workers' Party
Education	University of Texas at Austin
Alma mater	University of Texas at Austin
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	方榮發
Simplified Chinese	方荣发
Hanyu Pinyin	Fāng Róngfā
Hokkien POJ	Png Êng-hoat

Career

After completing his university studies, Png worked for various organisations including Philips Singapore and NTUC Income,[1] before setting up some of his own businesses.

Political career

Png joined the Workers' Party in 2006,[2] and is currently a member of party's Executive Council.[3]

At the 2011 general election, Png stood as a candidate in the East Coast Group Representation Constituency. The five-member team from the Workers' Party was defeated by the team from the governing People's Action Party (PAP) by 49,429 votes (45.2%) to 59,992 (54.8%).[4] This was third-highest percentage of the votes garnered by losing opposition candidates, which therefore entitled the Workers' Party to nominate a member of the team to become a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (the party nominated Png's teammate Gerald Giam).

On 10 May 2012, the Workers' Party announced that Png would be the party's candidate in the 2012 Hougang by-election.[5] His nomination was confirmed on 16 May. He was one of two candidates in the by-election, the other being Desmond Choo of the PAP.[6] Png won the by-election by 13,460 votes (62.1%) to 8,223 (37.9%).[7]

Following his election to Parliament, the Workers' Party appointed Png as a Vice-Chairman of the Aljunied–Hougang Town Council.[8]

On 25 June 2020, it was announced that Png, along with fellow party members, Low Thia Khiang and Chen Show Mao, would not be contesting in the 2020 Singaporean general election, but would still remain active in politics.[9]

Png was re-elected to the WP's CEC despite his retirement from politics during the 2020 Singaporean general election.[10]

Early life and education

Png grew up living in the Tanjong Pagar area of Singapore. He was educated at Peck Seah Primary School and Raffles Institution,[11] before going on to the Singapore Polytechnic, where he completed a Diploma in Electrical Engineering in 1983. He then studied radio, television and film at the University of Texas at Austin in the United States, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1989.

Personal life

Png is married and has one son and one daughter.[12]

See also

• List of Singapore opposition party MPs elected

References

1. Woo Sian Boon, A listener who wants to serve, TodayOnline, archived from the original on 16 May 2012, retrieved 11 May 2012
2. WP's Png Eng Huat quietly active in the ward Archived 2012-05-11 at the Wayback Machine, The Straits Times, 10 May 2012
3. Deputy Webmaster: Png Eng Huat Archived 2012-04-17 at the Wayback Machine, wp.sg, retrieved 11 May 2012
4. Parliamentary General Election 2011: East Coast GRC Archived 2012-03-30 at the Wayback Machine, singapore-elections.com, retrieved 11 May 2012
5. WP fields Png Eng Huat as Hougang by-election candidate Archived 2012-05-11 at the Wayback Machine, channelnewsasia.com, 11 May 2012
6. It's back to Desmond Choo versus Png Eng Huat Archived 2013-10-24 at the Wayback Machine, My Paper, 17 May 2012
7. MP Png holds his first Meet-the-People session Archived 2012-06-02 at the Wayback Machine, My Paper, 31 May 2012
8. Png Eng Huat appointed vice-chairman of Aljunied–Hougang Town Council Archived 2012-06-16 at the Wayback Machine, channelnewsasia.com, 11 June 2012
9. "Low, Chen and Png stepping down". The Straits Times. 25 June 2020. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
10. "WP elects Sengkang GRC MPs to its CEC, party leaders Pritam Singh and Sylvia Lim retain posts". The Straits Times. December 27, 2020.
11. New WP candidate breaks down at unveiling Archived 2011-04-30 at the Wayback Machine, sg.news.yahoo.com, 25 April 2011
12. Who are Desmond Choo and Png Eng Huat? Archived 2012-05-18 at the Wayback Machine, sg.news.yahoo.com, 16 May 2012

External links

• Png Eng Huat at parliament.gov.sg