Summary
He Ting Ru (Chinese: 何廷儒; pinyin: Hé Tíngrú; born 16 June 1983)[1] is a Singaporean politician and lawyer. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Buangkok division of Sengkang GRC and was elected to the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) as Treasurer since 2020.
He Ting Ru | |
|---|---|
| 何廷儒 | |
 He in 2021 | |
| Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC (Buangkok) | |
| Assumed office 10 July 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 June 1983[1] Singapore |
| Political party | Workers' Party (2015 — present) |
| Spouse |
Terence Tan (m. 2016) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls' School |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge (BA) |
| Occupation |
|
During the 2020 general election, she led the four-member WP team to another historic breakthrough when her team won the second Group Representation Constituency (GRC). [2]
Early life edit
He Ting Ru attended CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls' School and Raffles Junior College before graduating from the University of Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree in natural sciences. After graduating from university, she completed the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course, qualifying as a lawyer in the jurisdiction of England and Wales.[3]
Political career edit
He Ting Ru began volunteering with the Workers' Party (WP) in the Paya Lebar division in 2011.[4]
She made her political debut in the 2015 general election as part of the five-member team with team members, Yee Jenn Jong, Dylan Ng, Firuz Khan and Terence Tan contesting in Marine Parade GRC where the team garnered 35.9% of the votes and lost to the PAP team. [5]
She previously served as Secretary of the Workers' Party Youth Wing, and oversees the youth wing's outreach efforts in the areas of service, education and heritage.[6]
During the 2020 general election, He led a four-member WP team contesting in Sengkang GRC with team members, Jamus Lim, Louis Chua and Raeesah Khan.[7] On 11 July, she was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Buangkok division of Sengkang GRC.[8]
She was elected to the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) as Treasurer and the Chairwoman of the Sengkang Town Council since 2020.[9][10]
2020–Present Member of Parliament edit
While an advocate for reform of the public health system[11] and active intervention on cost of living issues,[12] He Ting Ru regularly intervenes in Parliament on various political accountability issues in Singapore.
In 2020, she supported a motion by Aljunied MP Sylvia Lim pertaining to the issues raised by a major court case involving Parti Liyani, a domestic worker who worked for former Changi Airport and Surbana Jurong Chairman Liew Mun Leong. The motion called on the Government to "...recognise and remedy its shortcomings in order to enhance justice for all, regardless of means or social status, including facilitating a review of the justice system."[13] During the debate she pushed for the creation of a publicly funded Public Defender's Office and for statutory compensation for miscarriages of justice.[14] In response to the motion, PAP MP Murali Pillai put forth amendments removing the call for a review of the justice system, which WP MPs dissented against.[15]
In 2021, He Ting Ru raised a motion on gender equality with then Aljunied MP Leon Perera.[16]
During the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 debate, she tabled amendments to the bill introducing judicial oversight with hearings to be held in camera. The amendments were rejected by the Government.[17]
She also tabled amendments to the Carbon Pricing (Amendment) Bill in 2022, proposing that businessses permitted to exceed the limit for use of international carbon credits are listed on a public registry. The Government rejected the amendment, citing the need for business confidentiality.[18]
In 2024, He Ting Ru raised an adjournment motion pushing for tougher regulations and economic interventions in order to tackle the impact of urban heat in Singapore.[19]
Legal career edit
Since 2013, He Ting Ru has been Head of Legal and Communications of a listed multinational company which oversees legal and communications matters in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa.[20]
She was trained at and worked as a solicitor at the law firm Clifford Chance, working in London and Frankfurt, before joining a European financial institution in Singapore as a derivatives lawyer.[21][22]
Personal life edit
She married Terence Tan, a fellow WP member in 2016. The couple were part of the five-member WP team contesting Marine Parade GRC in 2015. They have three sons.[23][24]
References edit
- ^ a b "MP | Parliament of Singapore".
- ^ "GE2020: Workers' Party claims Sengkang GRC in upset win". TODAYonline. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ Yong, Nicholas (6 October 2015). "Post-GE2015: Business as usual for WP's He Ting Ru". sg.news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Lim, Kimberly Ann (29 June 2020). "Not easy but felt right: WP's He Ting Ru on contesting GE2020 with husband Terence Tan". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Yuen, Sin (30 June 2020). "GE2020: Cousins, a couple, and former colleagues - unexpected connections among candidates this year". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ "Workers' Party introduces third batch of candidates". The Online Citizen. 20 October 2015. Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Abu Baker, Jalelah (30 June 2020). "GE2020: PAP and WP to face off in new four-member Sengkang GRC". CNA. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Abu Baker, Jalelah. "GE2020: Workers' Party wins new Sengkang GRC with 52.13% of votes". CNA. Archived from the original on 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ "ELD | 2020 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ "MP | Parliament Of Singapore - Ms He Ting Ru". www.parliament.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- ^ Party, The Workers' (4 October 2022). "Speech by He Ting Ru on Healthier SG". The Workers' Party. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Party, The Workers' (6 November 2023). "WP's Full Motion on the Cost of Living Crisis—speech by He Ting Ru". The Workers' Party. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Correspondent, Rei KurohiTech (21 October 2020). "WP's Sylvia Lim files new motion on issues raised by ex-maid Parti Liyani's case". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Party, The Workers' (4 November 2020). "Motion on Singapore's Justice System – Speech by He Ting Ru". The Workers' Party. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Correspondent, Hariz BaharudinIndonesia (5 November 2020). "Parliament votes to amend motion moved by WP's Sylvia Lim". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Workers' Party motion on gender equality passed in Parliament with amendment from PAP MP". CNA. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Party, The Workers' (4 October 2021). "Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) – Speech by He Ting Ru". The Workers' Party. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Singapore to raise carbon tax after Bill passed in Parliament, WP's proposals rejected". CNA. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Party, The Workers' (7 February 2024). "Building a Heat-resilient Singapore — Speech by He Ting Ru". The Workers' Party. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Tang, See Kit; Chew, Hui Min (28 June 2020). "GE2020: Workers' Party unveils final batch of prospective candidates, including one newcomer". CNA. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Tan, Jeanette; Lay, Belmont (25 August 2015). "Mothership.sg exclusive: Cambridge-educated lawyer He Ting Ru didn't believe she'd one day join the Workers' Party". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020.
- ^ Ng, Jing Yng (28 August 2015). "Lawyer wants young S'poreans to stand up and be heard". TODAYonline. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Cai, Candice (8 July 2020). "WP's Terence Tan and He Ting Ru: 'When you walk the Opposition path, nobody will marry you, so we have to marry each other'". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- ^ "Sengkang MP He Ting Ru gives birth to third child". CNA. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
External links edit
- He Ting Ru on Parliament of Singapore