DR NG ENG HEN TO BE SECOND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE ON 1 JUL

Manpower Minister, , will assume the appointment of Second Minister for Defence on 1 Jul.

Dr Ng, who has served in the education ministry for the last three-and-a-half years, will relinquish his appointment as Second Minister for Education.

He will continue as Minister for Manpower.

Dr Ng said he welcomed the opportunity to learn and contribute to his new portfolio.

"I am looking forward to it. I think there is a lot to learn, it is an interesting posting," he said.

"Our defence force has always been a mark of pride for Singaporeans, more so during the recent tsunami where they really acquitted themselves so well," he said. "There is a sense of great pride among Singaporeans for what they have done."

"We have a very capable defence force," added Dr Ng.

Minister for Defence, Mr Teo Chee Hean, said he was glad the Prime Minister had decided to deploy Dr Ng to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

"I look forward to working with him," said Mr Teo. "MINDEF is a very large ministry; it's a very complex ministry. There're many things to be done. And we are going through a very important phase of transformation in MINDEF."

"So I look forward to the views and ideas that Dr Ng will be able to bring to the ministry," he said.