Heng Swee Keat suffers stroke

SINGAPORE — Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, a key member of Singapore’s Cabinet who is regarded as a future leader of the country’s fourth-generation Government, suffered a stroke yesterday during a meeting with his colleagues at the Istana.

With effect from last night, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam will cover the duties of the Minister for Finance.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said Mr Heng, 54, collapsed at 5.34pm. Three Cabinet members who are also medical doctors rushed to his aid, managing to resuscitate the stricken minister before the ambulance arrived.

He was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) where a CT scan showed he had suffered a stroke.

In a Facebook post shortly after the statement was released, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: “We were having our weekly Cabinet meeting just now when Heng Swee Keat suddenly collapsed. The doctors in Cabinet (we have three) attended to him immediately. We called an ambulance, which took him to TTSH. A CT scan showed that he had had a stroke.

“Doctors are attending to him now. Hope Swee Keat will be alright — he is a valuable member of my team.”

As Singaporeans shocked by the news took to social media to express their hopes for a speedy recovery, his Cabinet colleagues also posted updates and wished him well, giving a measure of the minister and an insight into his voracious work ethic. Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, for instance, said: “I have been telling him that he was overworking so much that it will affect his health.” He added that “he was carrying an incredible workload”.

At TTSH, Mr Heng’s wife, Mdm Chang Hwee Nee, was seen outside the National Neuroscience Institute building at about 7.50pm.

Just before 10pm, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said on Facebook that Mr Heng had just undergone surgery and doctors were “doing their best to deal with his problem”.

More than an hour later, the PMO said Mr Heng had suffered a sudden stroke due to an aneurysm, which is a localised weakening of a blood vessel.

“He underwent initial neurosurgery to relieve pressure in his brain due to the bleeding. The aneurysm was successfully closed,” PMO said in a statement issued at about 11.30pm. Mr Heng would remain under close monitoring at TTSH’s intensive care unit, it added.

Mr Heng was a top civil servant, helming the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Monetary Authority of Singapore at various points, before being elected to Parliament five years ago. Along with Mr Chan Chun Sing, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin and Mr Lawrence Wong, who also entered politics in 2011, Mr Heng was seen as part of the core group of fourth-generation leaders.

Mr Heng was the only new face who was immediately made a full Minister following the 2011 General Election. He headed the Education Ministry between 2011 and last year, before he took on the finance portfolio.

Apart from his Cabinet responsibilities, Mr Heng has also been the driver of several key Government initiatives.

A little over a year after he entered politics, he was picked by Mr Lee to oversee the Our Singapore Conversation project. He also led the steering committee for the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

He currently chairs the Committee on the Future Economy, which has been tasked with laying out strategies to overcome present economic challenges and position the country for future growth.

Apart from immediate concerns over Mr Heng’s health, political watchers also noted that Mr Heng’s illness would raise questions about the shape of Singapore’s future leadership. They noted that while Mr Tharman could stand in for Mr Heng as Finance Minister in the short term, Mr Heng’s health could cast a shadow on Singapore’s leadership renewal.

Nanyang Technological University Assistant Professor Woo Jun Jie said Mr Tharman, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies, would be able to take the lead on strategic matters, while Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo could manage the day-to-day business of the Finance Ministry. “At the moment, we’re still quite fortunate that we have a former Finance Minister who’s ready to step in at any point in time,” said Asst Prof Woo.

Much will depend on the speed and extent of Mr Heng’s recovery.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan called Mr Heng’s collapse a “rude shock to the system” that could throw a “spanner in the works” in terms of plans for leadership renewal and succession.

A “fair bit of adjustment” would be needed, given Mr Heng is regarded as an “integral part” of the fourth-generation leadership.

“We mustn’t forget, as each month passes, we expect the fourth-generation leadership to take on more responsibilities,” he said. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY VALERIE KOH AND SIAU MING EN

MR HENG SWEE KEAT'S CAREER MILESTONES: