Yeo Cheow Tong 
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Dummipedia, the simplified free online encyclopedia
| "We have an understanding that if a minister is defamed and he does not sue, he must leave cabinet... If there is no evidence, well, why are you not suing?" [1] — Goh Chok Tong |
Yeo Cheow Tong (born 1947, age c. 62) was the former Minister for Transport in Singapore and is the incumbent Member of Parliament for Hong Kah Group Representation Constituency. He was dropped from the People's Action Party (PAP) Central Executive Committee in December 2002, apparently after a website exposed one of his wife's property transactions on the web.[1] The website, run by the authors of the book, Escape from Paradise, claims that it is doing so after Yeo's wife threatened to sue them over a chapter in their book which unfavourably mentions her law firm.
| Fast Facts | |
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| Yeo Cheow Tong | |
| Minister for Transport
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| In office 2001 – 2006 | |
| President | Sellapan Ramanathan |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Succeeded by | Raymond Lim Siang Keat |
Minister for Communications and Information Technology
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| In office 1999 – 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Mah Bow Tan |
| Succeeded by | (Position renamed Minister for Transport) |
| In office 1997 – 1999 | |
| In office 1997 – 1999 1990-1994 (Acting capacity from 1988-1990) | |
| Preceded by | Yeo Yong-Boon George |
| Succeeded by | Lim Hng Kiang |
| In office 1994 – 1997 | |
| In office 1991 – 1994 | |
Member of Parliament
for Hong Kah Group Representation Constituency | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1984 | |
| Born | 1947 Singapore |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Alma mater | University of Western Australia |
| Spouse | Helen Yeo Cheng Hoon |
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2. Born in Singapore, Yeo entered the University of Western Australia under a Colombo Plan Scholarship in 1967 where he received his Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) degree. He joined the Economic Development Board (EDB) in 1972 and three years later, entered the private sector.
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3. In 1984, Yeo entered politics and was elected the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Hong Kah Constituency. He was appointed Minister of State for Health and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs a year later. In 1988, Yeo became the Acting Minister of Health before becoming full Minister in 1990. Since then, he had held several important ministerial positions, including Minister of Community Development, Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister of the Environment. In 1999, he became the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, a position which was renamed Minister for Transport in 2001.
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4. In June 2006, Yeo resigned from the Singapore cabinet as Minister of Transport, and returned to the private sector. The official version of the story is that he had informed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong before the 2006 general election of his intention to step down as part of the renewal process of the Singapore cabinet, but was persuaded to continue to lead his Hong Kah GRC team in the forthcoming general election. The unofficial version, however, claims that Yeo's wife had gotten into financial trouble with property speculation, leading him almost to the brink of bankruptcy.[1] The latter version also claimed that the People's Action Party, in order to avoid the scandal from tarnishing its image, had helped Yeo repay all outstanding bank loans and in return, he would be asked to step down.[1] Yeo was returned to Parliament through a walkover in the 2006 general election, and currently works for Lippo Ltd as an associate director.[1] more... at Wikipedia
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