Fong Sip Chee Explained

Fong Sip Chee
Office:Minister of State for Culture
Term Start:2 May 1981
Term End:1 January 1985
Predecessor:position established
Successor:position abolished
Office1:Member of Parliament representing Stamford Constituency
Term Start1:22 October 1963
Term End1:6 December 1976
Predecessor1:Fung Yin Ching
Successor1:constituency abolished
Office2:Member of Parliament representing Kampong Chai Chee Constituency
Term Start2:7 February 1977
Term End2:17 August 1988
Predecessor2:Sha'ari Tadin
Successor2:constituency abolished
Honorific Prefix:Major
Native Name:邝摄治
Birth Name:Andrew Fong Sip Chee
Birth Date:1938 6, df=y
Birth Place:Singapore, Straits Settlements
Death Place:Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
Awards:Pingat Jasa Gemilang, 1990
Children:2; including Arthur

Andrew Fong Sip Chee, (; 28 June 1938 – 5 December 1992) was a Singaporean former politician. A member of the People's Action Party (PAP), Fong served as the Minister of State for Culture from 1981 to 1985, the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Stamford Constituency from 1963 to 1976, and the MP representing Kampong Chai Chee Constituency from 1977 to 1988.

Fong also served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Culture[1] and to the Ministry of Labour[2] from 1963 to 1971 and 1972, respectively, and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour[3] from 1972 to 1981.

Early life

Fong was born on 28 June 1938 in the Straits Settlements and attended Beatty Secondary School.[4] Before joining politics, Fong served as a housing expert.

Career

He made his political debut at the 1963 general election, contesting for Member of Parliament (MP) representing Stamford Constituency against Teo Hock Guan of Barisan Sosialis, Lim Chung Min of United People's Party, and Lal Behari Singh of Singapore Alliance Party.[5] He was elected with 53.27% of the vote.[6]

In the 1968 general election, Fong contested for MP of Stamford Constituency again, being elected unopposed. He also headed a 21-member study mission to 4 other Asian countries, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, and Japan.[7]

During the 1972 general election, he contested for MP of Stamford Constituency again, against Chiang Seok Keong of Workers' Party (WP), where he won with 71.77% of the vote.[8] [9] He was also appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour and Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour.

In the 1976 general election, after the dissolution of Stamford Constituency, Fong contested for MP of Kampong Chai Chee Constituency against J. B. Jeyaretnam from WP.[10] He won with 59.92% of the vote.[11] In the next general election, he contested for MP of Kampong Chai Chee Constituency again, against Leong Yew Thong of United Front, where he was elected with 81.22% of the vote.[12] In 1980, he wrote a book titled The PAP Story – the Pioneering Years, about the history of the PAP.[13]

At the 1984 general election, Fong contested for MP of Kampong Chai Chee Constituency again, against Seow Khee Leng of Singapore United Front. He was elected with 57.16% of the vote.[14] He retired from politics in 1988.[15]

Personal life

In 1990, Fong was awarded the Pingat Jasa Gemilang.[16] His son, Arthur Fong, went on to be a banker and politician.

Death

On 5 December 1992, Fong died of lung cancer at the Singapore General Hospital. He was survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters-in-law, and a granddaughter. He had been admitted to the hospital on 12 October, having stayed there till his death.[17]

Notes and References

  1. News: Yeo . Joseph . 19 October 1963 . Three new faces among the Ministers' Secretaries . 25 June 2024 . . 9 . NewspaperSG.
  2. News: 24 August 1972 . VICTORY ALL THE WAY: TOH . 25 June 2024 . . 28 . NewspaperSG.
  3. News: 16 September 1972 . New Cabinet will be sworn in tonight at Istana . 25 June 2024 . . 30 . NewspaperSG.
  4. News: 6 December 1992 . Veteran politician Fong Sip Chee dies . 24 June 2024 . . 1 . NewspaperSG.
  5. News: 13 September 1963 . Singapore polls nominations . 25 June 2024 . . 5 . NewspaperSG.
  6. News: 22 September 1963 . THIS IS THE WAY THE VOTING WENT . 25 June 2024 . . 3 . NewspaperSG.
  7. News: 22 May 1968 . S’pore team leaves today on four-nation tour . 25 June 2024 . . 8 . NewspaperSG.
  8. News: 23 August 1972 . Where they'll stand... . 25 June 2024 . . 1 . NewspaperSG.
  9. News: 1 September 1972 . ELECTION SCORECARD . 25 June 2024 . . 12 . NewspaperSG.
  10. News: 24 December 1976 . Jeya face-to-face with 'rat-catcher' Fong . 25 June 2024 . . 6 . NewspaperSG.
  11. News: 24 January 1977 . Bid to improve life in Chai Chee... . 25 June 2024 . . 7 . NewspaperSG.
  12. News: 14 December 1980 . WHO FIGHTS WHOM AND WHERE ... . 25 June 2024 . . 8 . NewspaperSG.
  13. News: 19 January 1980 . Fong Sip Chee's diary now an open book . . 6 . NewspaperSG.
  14. News: Ee . Boon Lee . Loong . Swee Yin . 16 November 1984 . Constituency that's run with military precision . 25 June 2024 . . 6 . NewspaperSG.
  15. News: 20 August 1988 . Raja, Barker among PAP MPs not contesting . 25 June 2024 . . 16 . NewspaperSG.
  16. News: 9 August 1990 . Ahli politik . Politicians . 25 June 2024 . . 6 . Malay . NewspaperSG.
  17. News: 6 December 1992 . Veteran politician Fong Sip Chee dies . 25 June 2024 . . 1 . NewspaperSG.