Chan Chee Seng
{{Short description|Singaporean former politician (1932–2022)}}
{{family name hatnote|Chan|lang=Chinese}}
{{infobox officeholder
| name = Chan Chee Seng
| office = Member of Parliament representing Jalan Besar Constituency
| term_start = 1 July 1959
| term_end = 4 December 1984
| predecessor = constituency established
| successor = Lee Boon Yang
| office1 = Party Whip of the People's Action Party
| term_start1 = 17 October 1963
| term_end1 = 15 April 1968
| predecessor1 = Lee Khoon Choy
| successor1 = Sia Kah Hui
| native_name = 陈志成
| birth_date = 15 November 1932
| birth_place = Straits Settlements (present-day Singapore)
| death_place = Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|12|17|1932|11|15|df=y}}
| image = Chan Chee Seng.jpg
| caption = Chan in 2015
}}
Chan Chee Seng ({{Zh|c=陈志成}}; 15 November 1932 – 17 December 2022) was a Singaporean former politician. A former member of the People's Action Party (PAP), he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Jalan Besar Constituency from 1959 to 1984 and the Party Whip of the People's Action Party from 1963 to 1968.
He also served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Affairs from 1963 to 1972, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social Affairs from 1972 to 1981, and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Industry from 1981 to 1982.
Early life and education
Chan was born on 15 November 1932 in the Straits Settlements (present-day Singapore) and attended Catholic High School and Saint Andrew's School. He worked as a bank clerk before resigning after he was elected City Councillor of Jalan Besar in 1957 to work at the Council full time. He also served as the secretary of City Division of the PAP and the general secretary of the Singapore Telephone Board Employees' Union.{{Cite news |date=16 May 1959 |title=Three wards feature big names |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19590516-1.2.110? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=11 |via=NewspaperSG}}
Political career
Chan left the Council in April 1959 and made his political debut in the 1959 general election, being asked to contest by S. Rajaratnam.{{Cite news |last=Ng |first=Keng Gene |date=18 December 2022 |title=Former PAP MP Chan Chee Seng dies, aged 90 |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/former-pap-mp-chan-chee-seng-dies-aged-92 |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}} He contested for Member of Parliament (MP) of Jalan Besar Constituency against Wong Yew Hon of Singapore People's Alliance, Lo Ka Fat of Liberal Socialist Party, and See Eng Kiat of Labour Front. Chan was elected with 62.48% of the vote.{{Cite news |date=31 May 1959 |title=THE RESULTS: ALL YOU |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19590531-1.2.16? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=4 |via=NewspaperSG}} In October 1959, Chan and Lim Boon Teck held talks in Kallang Basin, assuring citizens of the safety of the Police Force against gangsters.{{Cite news |date=16 October 1959 |title='Police will guard you from thug vengeance' |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/freepress19591016-1.2.4? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Singapore Free Press |pages=1 |via=NewspaperSG}}
In 1961, then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew held a vote of confidence which would have resulted in his resignation if he had failed to secure a majority. Following this, Chan went to fellow PAP member Sahorah Ahmat who was bedridden at the Singapore General Hospital and brought her to the Legislative Assembly in an ambulance and carried her in a stretcher. Her vote helped Lee to secure a majority.{{Cite news |last=Ng |first=Keng Gene |date=19 December 2022 |title=PAP might have lost battle with pro-communists if not for ex-MP Chan Chee Seng: PM Lee |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/pap-might-have-lost-battle-with-pro-communists-if-not-for-chan-chee-seng-pm-lee |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}
In the 1963 general election, he contested for MP of Jalan Besar Constituency again against Ng Ngeong Yew of Barisan Sosialis and Yong Wan Kit of United People's Party. Chan was elected with 51.87% of the vote.{{Cite news |date=13 September 1963 |title=Singapore polls nominations |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19630913-1.2.25? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=5 |via=NewspaperSG}} He was also appointed as Party Whip of the People's Action Party and Parliamentary Secretary for Social Affairs.{{Cite news |last=Sam |first=Jackie |date=18 October 1963 |title=3 NEW MINISTERS |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19631018-1.2.2? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=1 |via=NewspaperSG}} In the 1968 general election, Chan contested for MP of Jalan Besar Constituency again, being elected unopposed.{{Cite news |date=18 February 1968 |title=58 ELECTORAL DIVISIONS: Woman among 14 to contest |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/easternsun19680218-1.2.9.21? |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=Eastern Sun |pages=3 |via=NewspaperSG}}
In the 1972 general election, Chan contested for MP of Jalan Besar Constituency again against Johnnie Ng Kong Wah of United National Front. Chan was elected with 83.86% of the vote.{{Cite news |date=23 August 1972 |title=Where they'll stand... |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newnation19720823-1.2.7? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=New Nation |pages=1 |via=NewspaperSG}} He was also appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social Affairs.{{Cite news |date=16 September 1972 |title=New Cabinet will be sworn in tonight at Istana |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19720916-1.2.161? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=30 |via=NewspaperSG}} At the 1976 general election, he contested for MP of Jalan Besar Constituency again, being elected unopposed.{{Cite news |date=13 December 1976 |title=22 up! |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newnation19761213-1.2.2? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=New Nation |pages=1 |via=NewspaperSG}} In February 1976, he left the Singapore Taxi Driver's Association stating that he was busy and "not able to look after the association's interest."{{Cite news |date=11 February 1976 |title=TWO MPs QUIT CABBIES' BODY |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19760211-1.2.75? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=11 |via=NewspaperSG}}
At the 1980 general election, Chan contested for MP of Jalan Besar Constituency again, being elected unopposed.{{Cite news |date=14 December 1980 |title=The 37 who got walkovers |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19801214-1.2.36.2? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=9 |via=NewspaperSG}} In 1981, he was appointed Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Industry.{{Cite news |date=14 January 1981 |title=Just slight change in second-line leadership |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19810114-1.2.122? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=39 |via=NewspaperSG}} He retired from politics in 1984, after having served as MP for Jalan Besar Constituency for 25 years.{{Cite news |date=3 September 1984 |title=Chan Chee Seng quitting politics |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19840903-1.2.40? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Business Times |pages=16 |via=NewspaperSG}}
= Post-political career =
Chan served as the secretary general of the Telephone Board Employees Union and the president of the Singapore Jogging Association.{{Cite news |date=3 September 1984 |title=Retiring MP Chee Seng to carry on running |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19840903-1.2.25.7? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=9 |via=NewspaperSG}} In 1981, he and three others founded ISS International School and, in 1993, was joined by his wife, Chan Ching Oi. In 1994, Chan announced plans for ISS to branch out internationally to Tianjin, Chaoyang, and Guangzhou. Costing about {{SGD|4000000|link=on}}, he partnered with the Education Board of Chaoyang to build the branch at Chaoyang.{{Cite news |last=Ho |first=Sheo Be |date=17 May 1994 |title=ISS plans to open more international schools in major Chinese cities |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940517-1.2.85.3.2? |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=3 |via=NewspaperSG}}
He also served as vice-president of the Singapore National Olympic Council and president of the Singapore Amateur Swimming Association. At the 1977 SEA Games, Chan served as the Chef de Mission.{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Ian |date=19 December 2022 |title='He served Singapore well': PM Lee sends condolences to wife of PAP pioneer Chan Chee Seng |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/chan-chee-seng-pm-lee-hsien-loong-condolences-tributes-3154956 |access-date=26 September 2024 |website=Channel News Asia |language=en}}
Death
On 17 December 2022, Chan died of pneumonia at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, and three grandchildren.