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Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore)

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Ministry of Home Affairs
Agency overview
Formed1959; 65 years ago (1959)
Preceding agency
JurisdictionGovernment of Singapore
HeadquartersNew Phoenix Park, 28 Irrawaddy Road, Singapore 329560
MottoGuardians of Singapore
Employees31,107 (2024)[1]
Annual budgetIncrease S$8.27 billion (2024)[1]
Ministers responsible
Agency executives
  • Pang Kin Keong,
    Permanent Secretary
  • Chew Hock Yong,
    Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs Development)
  • Raja Kumar s/o Thamby Rajah,
    Deputy Secretary (International and Training)
  • Puah Kok Keong,
    Deputy Secretary (Policy)
  • Chan Tsan,
    Deputy Secretary (Development)
Child agencies
Websitewww.mha.gov.sg
Agency IDT08GA0016D

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA; Malay: Kementerian Ehwal Dalam Negeri; Chinese: 内政部; Tamil: உள்துறை அமைச்சு), sometimes referred to as the Home Team, is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for overseeing the national security, public security, civil defence, border control and immigration of Singapore.

History

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The Ministry of Home Affairs was created in 1959 when Singapore attained self-governance from the United Kingdom. The ministry was housed at the Empress Place Building until 16 September 1963, when Singapore joined Malaysia and internal affairs became a federal responsibility.

After gaining independence on 9 August 1965 from Malaysia, the ministry returned to the Empress Place Building under the purview of the Ministry of Interior and Defence (MID). MID stayed there for several months before it was relocated to Pearl's Hill (former Lower Barracks of Police).

On 11 August 1970, the Ministry of Interior and Defence was separated into two ministries, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). MHA remained at Pearl's Hill until August 1977 when it moved to Phoenix Park at Tanglin Road.

MHA, together with Police Headquarters, moved to its new premises at New Phoenix Park on 18 August 2001.

Organisational structure

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Home Team Departments

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The Ministry of Home Affairs consists of the following seven departments:

Statutory Boards

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Committees/Councils

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  • Presidential Council for Religious Harmony
  • National Crime Prevention Council
  • National Council Against Drug Abuse
  • National Fire and Civil Emergency Preparedness Council

Ministers

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The Ministry is headed by the Minister for Home Affairs, who is appointed as part of the Cabinet of Singapore. The incumbent minister is MP for Nee Soon GRC K. Shanmugam from the People's Action Party.[2][3]

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Party Cabinet
Minister for Home Affairs (1959–1963)
Ong Pang Boon
MP for Telok Ayer
(born 1929)
3 June
1959
18 October
1963
PAP Lee K. I
Othman Wok
MP for Pasir Panjang
(1924–2017)
19 October
1963
27 November
1963
PAP Lee K. II
Minister for the Interior and Defence (1965–1970)
Goh Keng Swee
MP for Kreta Ayer
(1918–2010)
9 August
1965
16 August
1967
PAP Lee K. II
Lim Kim San
MP for Cairnhill
(1916–2006)
17 August
1967
10 August
1970
PAP
Lee K. III
Minister for Home Affairs (from 1970)
Ong Pang Boon
MP for Telok Ayer
(born 1929)
11 August
1970
5 September
1970
PAP Lee K. III
Wong Lin Ken
MP for Alexandra
(1931–1983)
6 September
1970
15 September
1972
PAP
Edmund W. Barker
MP for Tanglin
(1920–2001)
16 September
1972
31 October
1972
PAP Lee K. IV
Chua Sian Chin
MP for MacPherson
(1933–2014)
31 October
1972
1 January
1985
PAP
Lee K. V
Lee K. VI
S. Jayakumar
MP for Bedok & Bedok GRC
(born 1939)
2 January
1985
31 December
1993
PAP Lee K. VII
Lee K. VIII
Goh I
Goh II
Wong Kan Seng
MP for Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC
(born 1946)
2 January
1994
31 October
2010
PAP
Goh III
Goh IV
Lee H. I
Lee H. II
K. Shanmugam
MP for Sembawang GRC
(born 1959)
1 November
2010
20 May
2011
PAP
Teo Chee Hean
MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC
(born 1954)
21 May
2011
30 September
2015
PAP Lee H. III
K. Shanmugam
MP for Nee Soon GRC
(born 1959)
1 October
2015
Incumbent PAP Lee H. IV
Lee H. V
Wong I

References

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  1. ^ a b "Singapore Budget 2024".
  2. ^ Ong, Justin (28 September 2015). "Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces Singapore's new Cabinet". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  3. ^ Mahmud, Aqil Haziq (25 July 2020). "PM Lee announces new Cabinet; 6 office holders promoted, 3 retirements". CNA. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
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