Yeo Cheow Tong

Yeo Cheow Tong (simplified Chinese: 姚照东; traditional Chinese: 姚照東; pinyin: Yáo Zhàodōng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Iô Chiàu-tong; born 22 June 1947) is a former Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he served in the Cabinet from 1990 to 2006, and was a Member of Parliament (MP) of Hong Kah SMC from 12 December 1984 to 17 August 1988 and MP of Hong Kah GRC from 24 August 1988 to 19 April 2011 for almost 27 years.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Yeo.

Yeo Cheow Tong
姚照东
Minister for Transport[1]
In office 23 November 2001 – 29 May 2006
Prime Minister	Goh Chok Tong Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by	himself (post renamed from Minister for Communications and Information Technology)
Succeeded by	Raymond Lim
Minister for Communications and Information Technology
In office 3 June 1999 – 22 November 2001
Prime Minister	Goh Chok Tong
Preceded by	Mah Bow Tan
Succeeded by	himself (as Minister for Transport)
Minister for the Environment
In office 25 January 1997 – 2 June 1999
Prime Minister	Goh Chok Tong
Preceded by	Teo Chee Hean
Succeeded by	Lee Yock Suan
Minister for Health
In office 28 November 1990 – 31 December 1993 Acting: 1 January 1987 - 27 November 1990
Prime Minister	Goh Chok Tong
Preceded by	George Yeo
Succeeded by	Lim Hng Kiang
Minister for Trade and Industry
In office 1 January 1994 – 24 January 1997
Prime Minister	Goh Chok Tong
Preceded by	S. Dhanabalan
Succeeded by	George Yeo
Minister for Community Development
In office 7 September 1991 – 31 December 1993
Prime Minister	Goh Chok Tong
Preceded by	Seet Ai Mee
Succeeded by	Abdullah Tarmugi
Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
In office 13 September 1988 – 27 November 1990
Prime Minister	Lee Kuan Yew
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Hong Kah SMC
In office 22 December 1984 – 17 August 1988
Preceded by	Seat Created
Succeeded by	Seat Abolished
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Hong Kah GRC (Yew Tee)
In office 24 August 1988 – 19 April 2011
Preceded by	Seat Created
Succeeded by	Seat Abolished
Personal details
Born	(1947-06-22) 22 June 1947 (age 78) Colony of Singapore
Political party	People's Action Party
Spouse	Helen Yeo-Tan Cheng Hoong
Children	3
Alma mater	University of Western Australia[1]
Occupation	Politician

Early life

Yeo was educated at Anglo-Chinese School, before receiving a Colombo Plan Scholarship^[2] in 1967 to study at the University of Western Australia, where he received a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) degree.^{[citation needed]}

Career

He worked for Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) from 1972 to 1975, before entering the private sector. He entered politics in 1984. At the 1984 general election, Yeo was elected a Member of Parliament for Hong Kah constituency. In 1985, he was appointed a Minister of State at the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1988, Yeo became the Acting Minister for Health, before becoming a full member of the Cabinet in 1990. He went on to hold a number of different Cabinet positions including Minister of Health (1990–94, 1997–99), Minister for Community Development (1991–94), Minister for Trade and Industry (1994–97), Minister for the Environment (1997–99), Minister for Communications and Information Technology (1999–2001), and Minister for Transport (2001–06).

In June 2006, after the announcement of the new Cabinet of SIngapore, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong said Yeo had intended to retire from politics but had persuaded him to continue as a MP after stepping down from the Cabinet.^[3][4] He continued to serve as a Member of Parliament for the Hong Kah Group Representation Constituency until 2011, when he retired from politics.

Personal life

Yeo is married to lawyer Helen Yeo-Tan Cheng Hoong. The couple have three children^[5] and 6 grandchildren.^{[citation needed]}