Janil Puthucheary
Encyclopedia
Janil Puthucheary is a Singapore
an who is contesting the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in the 2011 general election. He is a senior consultant in the children's intensive care unit
at KK Women's and Children's Hospital. He is also the medical director for faculty development and an assistant professor at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
.
Born in Malaysia , Dr Puthucheary went to primary school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before heading to the United Kingdom
for secondary school education at Oundle School
. He then undertook a MB, Bch, BAO at The Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
, UK, and went on to have post graduate training in Belfast
, London
and Sydney
before he moved to and settled in Singapore in 2001. He became a Singapore citizen in 2008, at the age of 35. He is the son of Dominic Puthucheary, a trade unionist and founding member of the People's Action Party, whom late in his political life joined the opposing Barisan Sosialis
party and was detained under Operation Coldstore
.
He is married, and has three sons.
, a foreign-born new candidate of the Workers' Party
who volunteered for national service at naturalisation, he mentioned that he has instead spent the last 10 years saving kids' lives. Some commentators criticised his comment due to the advantages of a professional career compared with national service. His candidacy, and the apparent hypocrisy by fellow PAP candidate and former Chief of Army Chan Chun Sing
, has led to Low Thia Khiang
, the leader of the Workers' Party
, to call for an amendment to the Singapore constitution
to allow only male candidates who have served their national service to run for elections.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an who is contesting the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in the 2011 general election. He is a senior consultant in the children's intensive care unit
Intensive Care Unit
thumb|220px|ICU roomAn intensive-care unit , critical-care unit , intensive-therapy unit/intensive-treatment unit is a specialized department in a hospital that provides intensive-care medicine...
at KK Women's and Children's Hospital. He is also the medical director for faculty development and an assistant professor at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
The Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore is a collaboration between the Duke University in North Carolina, United States and the National University of Singapore....
.
Born in Malaysia , Dr Puthucheary went to primary school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before heading to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for secondary school education at Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
. He then undertook a MB, Bch, BAO at The Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, UK, and went on to have post graduate training in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
before he moved to and settled in Singapore in 2001. He became a Singapore citizen in 2008, at the age of 35. He is the son of Dominic Puthucheary, a trade unionist and founding member of the People's Action Party, whom late in his political life joined the opposing Barisan Sosialis
Barisan Sosialis
The Barisan Sosialis is a former Singaporean left-wing political party formed in 1961, by left-wing members of the People's Action Party and led by Dr Lee Siew Choh and Lim Chin Siong.-Formation:...
party and was detained under Operation Coldstore
Operation Coldstore
Operation Coldstore was a security operation launched in Singapore on 2 February 1963 in which at least 111 anti-government left-wing activists were arrested and detained, including key members of the opposition political party Barisan Sosialis...
.
He is married, and has three sons.
National Service controversy
Dr Puthucheary did not serve national service in Singapore, as first-generation new citizens are not required to do so. Having been compared to Chen Show MaoChen Show Mao
Chen Show Mao, J.D. is a Singaporean politician and lawyer. He is a member of the opposition Workers' Party, and has been a Member of Parliament for the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency since 7 May 2011. He represents the Paya Lebar ward, replacing PAP's Cynthia Phua.-Personal...
, a foreign-born new candidate of the Workers' Party
Workers' Party of Singapore
The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
who volunteered for national service at naturalisation, he mentioned that he has instead spent the last 10 years saving kids' lives. Some commentators criticised his comment due to the advantages of a professional career compared with national service. His candidacy, and the apparent hypocrisy by fellow PAP candidate and former Chief of Army Chan Chun Sing
Chan Chun Sing
Chan Chun Sing is a politician from Singapore. A member of the country's governing People's Action Party , he is currently the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and a Minister of State at the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts...
, has led to Low Thia Khiang
Low Thia Khiang
Low Thia Khiang is a politician and businessman from Singapore. He is currently the leader of the opposition Workers' Party, and since 1991 has been a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Hougang until 2011 where he contested and won in Aljunied GRC. He is in charge of the Bedok...
, the leader of the Workers' Party
Workers' Party of Singapore
The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
, to call for an amendment to the Singapore constitution
Constitution of Singapore
The Constitution of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore and it is a codified constitution.The constitution cannot be amended without the support of more than two-thirds of the members of parliament on the second and third readings . The president may seek opinion on constitutional issues...
to allow only male candidates who have served their national service to run for elections.