S'pore Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat out of hospital: PMO

SINGAPORE — Mr Heng Swee Keat, Singapore's Minister for Finance, was discharged from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) on Saturday (June 25), following an "excellent recovery" from a stroke he suffered on May 12, said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement.

According to the PMO, Mr Heng will be on medical leave as he continues his rehabilitation process. To minimise the risk of infection, his doctors have advised against receiving visitors for the time being.

On his Facebook post, Mr Heng said that the last few weeks "were the toughest of my life". "I could get through this time because of the strong support from my family, great medical care, and the kindness from all of you," he wrote.

"If not for the critical help of many people, including my colleagues in Cabinet on the day of my stroke, I wouldn’t be here now," he added, expressing his appreciation to the doctors, nurses, and staff of TTSH, the National Neuroscience Institute and the Singapore Civil Defence Force. "Anyone who is helped by our hospitals and the SCDF is in good hands."

Mr Heng continued: "For now, doctors say no visitors, no work, focus on rehab so I can recover fully ... I look forward to when I can see everyone again." 

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also posted his thoughts on his Facebook page. "Delighted that Heng Swee Keat has been discharged from Tan Tock Seng Hospital today," wrote Mr Lee. "He has been working hard on his rehab and is determined to recover fully. I am confident he will, supported by his family and medical team.

"I know from personal experience that recovering from serious illnesses takes time. I have advised Swee Keat to take things step by step. No constant checking of his email or his phone! Many thanks to the doctors, nurses, therapists, and staff at TTSH for their professionalism and dedication. This outcome would not have happened without your good work."

Mr Heng's fellow Members of Parliament in Tampines GRC said he had been informed them that he has been discharged via text messages. Said Mr Desmond Choo: "He reassured us that he has recovered a fair bit, but will still be on medical leave."

Mr Baey Yam Keng said Mr Heng's four GRC colleagues -- Mr Baey, Mr Choo, Ms Cheng Li Hui and Minister for Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli -- will continue to take turns to attend to Mr Heng's grassroot duties, such as Meet-the-People sessions and house visits. 

"We will keep him updated after each house visit, but we want him to focus on recovering fully. It was quite a major surgery," said Mr Choo. 

The MPs said they are not privy to which specific functions Mr Heng is not be able to perform.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam will continue to cover the duties of the Minister for Finance. 

Mr Heng’s sudden stroke was due to an aneurysm, which is a localised weakening of a blood vessel. He underwent successful endovascular coil embolisation of the aneurysm on the same day. He was also treated with antibiotics for a lung infection. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KELLY NG