Dr Ng Eng Hen

Singapore
Minister for Defence

Born in 1958, Dr Ng Eng Hen of the People's Action Party was elected into Singapore’s parliament as MP for the Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency in 2001. In August 2004, he became the minister of manpower and second minister for education. Later assuming the role of deputy leader of the house, in April 2008 he was appointed minister for education and second minister for defence. After the 2011 elections, he became minister for defence.

As a child, he went to the Anglo-Chinese School and the National Junior College, after which he attended medical school at the National University of Singapore. He became a general surgeon with a Masters of Medicine (Surgery), NUS and a Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. He did additional training in surgical oncology in the United States at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center and the M D Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Ng was a consultant surgeon at Singapore General Hospital from 1992 to 1997, and maintained a private practice in Mount Elizabeth Hospital as a surgical oncologist from 1997 to 2001.

He is married to a pediatrician, Ivy Lim Swee Lian, and has four children. During his spare time, he enjoys jogging, swimming, reading and playing golf.