Eric Chua Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Eric Chua
Native Name Lang:zh
Birth Date:[1]
Birth Place:Singapore
Office:Senior Parliamentary Secretary
for Culture, Community and Youth
Term Start:13 June 2022
Primeminister:Lee Hsien Loong
Lawrence Wong
Minister:Edwin Tong
Office1:Senior Parliamentary Secretary
for Social and Family Development
Term Start1:13 June 2022
Primeminister1:Lee Hsien Loong
Lawrence Wong
Minister1:Masagos Zulkifli
Office2:Parliamentary Secretary
for Culture, Community and Youth
Term Start2:27 July 2020
Term End2:12 June 2022
Primeminister2:Lee Hsien Loong
Minister2:Edwin Tong
Office3:Parliamentary Secretary
for Social and Family Development
Term Start3:27 July 2020
Term End3:12 June 2022
Primeminister3:Lee Hsien Loong
Minister3:Masagos Zulkifli
Constituency Mp4:Tanjong Pagar GRC
(Queenstown)
Term Start4:10 July 2020
Predecessor4:Chia Shi-Lu (PAP)
Majority4:32,470 (26.26%)
Occupation:Politician
Children:1

Eric Chua Swee Leong (Chinese: s=蔡瑞隆|p=Cài Ruìlóng; born 1979) is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development concurrently since 2022.[2] A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Queenstown division of Tanjong Pagar GRC since 2020.

Prior to entering politics, Chua served in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and had been actively volunteering in grassroots activities with the People's Association (PA) in Tanjong Pagar GRC.

He made his political debut in the 2020 general election as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in Tanjong Pagar GRC and won 63.13% of the vote.

Education

A recipient of the Public Service Commission Local Merit Scholarship, Chua completed a bachelor's degree in communication studies at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University. For his postgraduate studies, he received a grant under the Fulbright Program and completed a master's degree in communication management at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.[3] He is also an elected member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honour Society for academic excellence.[4]

Career

Civil career

Chua had worked for 17 years in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Ministry of Home Affairs. He held the rank of colonel in the SCDF and had served as head of operations of the 1st SCDF Division and commander of the 3rd SCDF Division.[5] He was also the director of the SGSecure Programme Office.

Political career

Chua was a grassroots volunteer in Tanjong Pagar GRC for 15 years, focusing on helping youths from poorer family backgrounds,[6] [7] and had been the Chairman of the People's Association Youth Movement's Central Youth Council. Chua received the Commendation Medal in 2017 and the Public Service Medal in 2019.

Chua was announced as a People's Action Party (PAP) candidate contesting as part of the five-member PAP team in Tanjong Pagar GRC during the 2020 general election. After the PAP team with 63.13% of the vote against the Progress Singapore Party,[8] Chua became a Member of Parliament representing the Queenstown ward of Tanjong Pagar GRC.

On 27 July 2020, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Social and Family Development and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. On 13 June 2022, Chua was promoted as Senior Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Social and Family Development and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.[9]

Personal life

Chua is married and has one child. On 3 February 2022, Chua revealed he tested positive for COVID-19.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MP | Parliament of Singapore.
  2. Web site: Changes to Cabinet and Other Appointments (June 2022). 6 June 2022. Prime Minister's Office Singapore.
  3. Web site: Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Eric Chua . Ministry of Social and Family Development . 15 July 2021.
  4. Web site: Mr Eric Chua 蔡瑞隆 .
  5. News: 29 June 2020. Singapore GE2020: Two new faces in PAP's Tanjong Pagar GRC team led by Chan Chun Sing. 14 July 2020.
  6. News: 29 June 2020. GE2020: PAP announces Tanjong Pagar, Radin Mas line-up; no Chia Shi-Lu, Sam Tan. 14 July 2020. 8 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200708150343/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/ge2020-pap-tanjong-pagar-grc-radin-mas-smc-chia-shi-lu-sam-tan-12879420. dead.
  7. News: 26 June 2020. PAP unveils new faces for July 10 General Election. 14 July 2020.
  8. News: 11 July 2020. GE2020 official results: PAP wins Tanjong Pagar GRC with 63.13% of votes, PSP has 36.87%. 14 July 2020.
  9. Web site: Lim . Min Zhang . Tan Kiat How, Eric Chua and Rahayu Mahzam to be promoted in latest Cabinet changes . 6 June 2022 . The Straits Times . 6 June 2022.
  10. Web site: Abu Baker . Jalelah . MPs for East Coast, Tanjong Pagar GRCs test positive for COVID-19 . CNA . 6 February 2022 . 4 February 2022.