Changes to Chief of Defence Force and Chief of Army

22 Jan 2000

The President has accepted the advice of the Prime Minister that:

- Lieutenant-General relinquish his appointment as Chief of Defence Force on 1 Apr 2000, and that Major-General , currently Chief of Army, be appointed Chief of Defence Force with effect from 1 Apr 2000; and

- Major-General Lim Chuan Poh relinquish his appointment as Chief of Army on 1 Apr 2000, and that Major-General , currently Chief of Staff, Joint Staff and concurrently Director of Joint Operations and Planning Directorate, be appointed Chief of Army with effect from 1 Apr 2000.

The Prime Minister made these recommendations to the President following consultation with the Armed Forces Council.

The changes are part of the continuing process of leadership renewal and to release talented SAF officers to serve in other positions in the public and private sectors.

Since his enlistment in 1973, Lieutenant-General Bey Soo Khiang has served the SAF with distinction. He was awarded the SAF Overseas Scholarship in 1974. He made significant contributions in developing the RSAF into a modern and advanced airforce as Chief of Air Force, before he was appointed the Chief of Defence Force on 1 July 1995. In his current appointment, LG Bey has positioned the SAF well to meet the challenges in the twenty-first century. He has significantly improved the SAF's operational readiness and strengthened its ability to harness leading-edge technology to develop its capability. He played an important role in defence diplomacy, strengthening and expanding ties between the SAF and other armed forces around the world. He also played an important role in developing the SAF's human resources, and creating challenging and satisfying careers for SAF personnel.

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The incoming Chief of Defence Force, Major-General Lim Chuan Poh, aged 38, joined the SAF in Dec 1979 and was awarded the SAF Overseas Scholarship in 1980. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (Mathematics) Degree, a Master of Arts (Mathematics) Degree, both from the University of Cambridge, UK; as well as an MBA (Business Admin) from , USA. In the course of his military career, he has held, amongst others, the appointments of Commanding Officer 3rd Infantry Regiment, Head Joint Plans Department, Commander 10th Singapore Infantry Brigade and Commander 9th Division.

The incoming Chief of Army, Major-General Ng Yat Chung, aged 38, joined the SAF in Dec 1979 and was awarded the SAF Overseas Scholarship in 1980. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (Engineering Tripos) Degree and a Master of Arts (Mathematics) Degree both from the University of Cambridge, UK; as well as an MBA (Business Admin) from Stanford University, USA. In the course of his military career, he has held, amongst others, the appointments of Commanding Officer 23rd Singapore Artillery, Assistant Chief of General Staff (Plans), Commander 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade and Commander 3rd Division.

The Ministry of Defence wishes to express its deep appreciation to Lieutenant-General Bey Soo Khiang for his sterling service and outstanding contributions to the development of the .

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