Ong Keng Yong (Chinese: 王景荣; pinyin: Wáng Jǐngróng, born 1954) is a Singaporean diplomat. He served as the Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from 2003 to 2007, and is currently Singapore's High Commissioner to Malaysia.
Ong was educated at the University of Singapore and Georgetown University in Washington DC, USA, receiving a Master of Arts (MA) in Arab Studies. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore in June 1979. He has been on diplomatic postings to Saudi Arabia (1984–1988), Malaysia (1989–1991) and the United States of America (1991–1994). From 1994 to 1996, he was spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1996 to 1998, he was Ambassador and High Commissioner of Singapore to India and Nepal. From 1998 to 2002, he worked as an important aide to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, leaving that job in 2002. From 1999 to 2002, Ong was concurrently Chief Executive Director of the People's Association in Singapore, as well as Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts.
Upon his return from the ASEAN Secretariat, Ong took up posting as Ambassador-At-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. Concurrently, he served as Director of the Institute of Policy Studies at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.
In 2011, Ong was appointed as Singapore's High Commissioner to Malaysia.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Rodolfo Severino Jr. |
Secretaries General of ASEAN 2003-2007 |
Succeeded by Surin Pitsuwan |
|
||||
Famous quotes containing the word yong:
“And I was yong and ful of ragerye,
Stibourne and strong and joly as a pie:
How coude I daunce to an harpe smale,
And singe, ywis, as any nightingale,
Whan I hadde dronke a draughte of sweete win.”
—Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400)