Yong Pung How
Encyclopedia
Yong Pung How, DUT(First Class)
' onMouseout='HidePop("88776")' href="/topics/Kuala_Lumpur">Kuala Lumpur
, Malaya
). He was the former Chief Justice of Singapore
, serving from 1990 to 2006. Prior to his judicial career, he was a lawyer
, banker and senior government official. Since 2010, he has been Chancellor of the Singapore Management University
.
in Kuala Lumpur
, and at the Downing College, Cambridge
, where he developed close friendships with two of his Singaporean schoolmates, Mr Lee Kuan Yew
and his wife, Kwa Geok Choo
. He was made an Exhibitioner
, and an Associate Fellow in his college years. Yong did exceptionally well, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Law Qualifying I: Class 1; Law Tripos I: Class 2, Division 2; Law Tripos II: Class 2, Division 1) in 1949, and with a Bachelor of Law (Class 2, Division 1) in 1950. In 1970 he furthered his education with the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School
.
Upon graduation, he was called to the English Bar by the Inner Temple
in 1951. He returned to his hometown as an Advocate and Solicitor of Malaya in 1952, practising law as a partner at Shook Lin & Bok, a law firm
founded by his late father until his retirement from practice in 1970.
During this period he also served in 1953 as the Arbitrator appointed by the Governor of Singapore to resolve the dispute between the Government and the General Clerical Services and Telecommunications workers. He was also admitted into the Singapore Bar in 1964 and appointed the role as Chairman of the Public Services Arbitration Tribunal in Malaya from 1955 to 1960, and as a Chairman of the Industrial Court in Malaysia between 1961 to 1967. He also had commercial powers invested upon him as Chairman of the now-defunct Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
between 1964 and 1969, and as Deputy Chairman, Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank)
between 1966 and 1971.
(OCBC).
He was seconded in 1982 by the Singapore Government to form and head the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
(GIC), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore
as well. His experience in commercial banking proved to be invaluable to GIC as he effectively re-organized and streamlined the use of Singapore's foreign reserves.
He was also made Deputy Chairman of the Currency Commissioners, and Alternate Governor for Singapore of the International Monetary Fund.
In 1988, Yong became the first Chairman of the newly formed Institute of Policy Studies
, and established the Regional Speakers Programme which saw prominent speakers and intellectuals from around the region to share their understanding of the culture and politics of the countries in the region. This initiative greatly helped with the development of Singapore governance.
In Yong returned to the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation in 1983, as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer before returning to law as a judge in 1989.
On 28 September 1990, Yong was appointed the Chief Justice of Singapore
, replacing Wee Chong Jin
. During his first speech at the opening of the legal year, he announced the abolition of the traditional wigs worn by judges and lawyers, and the use of archaic terms of address for judges of the Supreme Court such as "My Lord" or "Your Lordship". He also made the Singapore justice system
move faster in processing cases during his tenure by introducing cutting-edge technology into the courtroom.
In 1991, there were about 2,000 lawsuit
s to be heard at the High Court
. A lawsuit could take several years to be heard. Some measures were introduced to resolve the problems which he described as an "embarrassing" state of affairs. When Yong left, it took only six months for the High Court to conclude a hearing.
However, the speed in which trials are conducted have led some critics to accuse Yong of convicting indiscriminately, leaving the burden of proof to the accused. As Chief Justice, he was also known to impose punitive sentences to those appealing cases he deemed to be frivolous.
Yong instituted the Night Courts in the Subordinate Courts, eliminating the need for members of the public to take time off work to attend court to answer to summonses for regulatory and minor offences. He also initiated the Justices' Law Clerk (JLC) scheme, under which top law graduates from leading universities in the United Kingdom and the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
were actively recruited to the Singapore Legal Service. The EFS
(soon to be replaced by the iELS
—designed to streamline the litigation process using technology—was also introduced during Yong's tenure as Chief Justice.
Yong was succeeded by the Honourable Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong
, formerly Attorney-General of Singapore.
in 1989 and the Order of Temasek
(First Class) on 9 August 1999 - with a citation stating that “as Chief Justice since 28 September 1990, Justice Yong Pung How has made the Singapore Judiciary world class”.
On 17 September 2001, Yong was awarded the honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the National University of Singapore
(NUS), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Judiciary and the judicial system in Singapore. Yong was credited with introducing sweeping reforms in the legal service, enhancing the quality and efficiency of Singapore's judicial process and making the Singapore Judiciary world-class. Among his innovations was the introduction of case management which helped clear the backlog of cases and reduced the waiting time for the disposal of cases.
On 14 July 2007, Yong was awarded the honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the Singapore Management University
(SMU), in recognition of his contribution to Singapore's legal sector. Yong was appointed as the chairman of SMU School of Law's advisory board in March 2007.
On 1 September 2010, Yong was appointed Chancellor of the Singapore Management University
, the key university official who presides over all major formal ceremonies involving the university.
and they have a daughter Yong Ying-I, who is a Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health
.
Order of Temasek
The Darjah Utama Temasek is Singapore's second most important national honour and was instituted in 1962.There are 3 grades of the Order of Temasek:*the First Class, consisting of the Badge and the Star of the Order...
' onMouseout='HidePop("88776")' href="/topics/Kuala_Lumpur">Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
). He was the former Chief Justice of Singapore
Chief Justice of Singapore
The Chief Justice of Singapore is the highest post in the judicial system of Singapore. The Chief Justice is appointed by the President, chosen from candidates recommended by the Prime Minister. The present Chief Justice is Chan Sek Keong....
, serving from 1990 to 2006. Prior to his judicial career, he was a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, banker and senior government official. Since 2010, he has been Chancellor of the Singapore Management University
Singapore Management University
The Singapore Management University was officially incorporated on January 12, 2000, and was Singapore's first private university funded by the government...
.
Early career
A Hakka, Yong received early education at the Victoria InstitutionVictoria Institution
Victoria Institution is a premier secondary school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is widely known as V.I. and a student of Victoria Institution bears the name Victorian....
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, and at the Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1800 and currently has around 650 students.- History :...
, where he developed close friendships with two of his Singaporean schoolmates, Mr Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
and his wife, Kwa Geok Choo
Kwa Geok Choo
Kwa Geok Choo was a Singaporean most widely known as the wife of Singapore's Minister Mentor and former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and one of the partners in the law firm Lee & Lee. Kwa was also the mother of current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong...
. He was made an Exhibitioner
Exhibition (scholarship)
-United Kingdom and Ireland:At the universities of Dublin, Oxford and Cambridge, and at Westminster School, Eton College and Winchester College, and various other UK educational establishments, an exhibition is a financial award or grant to an individual student, normally on grounds of merit. The...
, and an Associate Fellow in his college years. Yong did exceptionally well, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Law Qualifying I: Class 1; Law Tripos I: Class 2, Division 2; Law Tripos II: Class 2, Division 1) in 1949, and with a Bachelor of Law (Class 2, Division 1) in 1950. In 1970 he furthered his education with the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
.
Upon graduation, he was called to the English Bar by the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1951. He returned to his hometown as an Advocate and Solicitor of Malaya in 1952, practising law as a partner at Shook Lin & Bok, a law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
founded by his late father until his retirement from practice in 1970.
During this period he also served in 1953 as the Arbitrator appointed by the Governor of Singapore to resolve the dispute between the Government and the General Clerical Services and Telecommunications workers. He was also admitted into the Singapore Bar in 1964 and appointed the role as Chairman of the Public Services Arbitration Tribunal in Malaya from 1955 to 1960, and as a Chairman of the Industrial Court in Malaysia between 1961 to 1967. He also had commercial powers invested upon him as Chairman of the now-defunct Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
Malaysia-Singapore Airlines came into being in 1966 as a result of a joint ownership of the airline by the governments of Malaysia and Singapore. The airline ceased operations after 6 years in 1972 when both governments decided to set up their own national airlines...
between 1964 and 1969, and as Deputy Chairman, Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank)
Maybank
Maybank , a trade name for Malayan Banking Berhad is the largest bank and financial group in Malaysia, with significant banking operations in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. The bank also has large interests in Islamic banking through Maybank Islamic Berhad and insurance via its Etiqa...
between 1966 and 1971.
Career as a banker
In 1971, Yong switched from law to finance, and formed Singapore International Merchant Bankers Limited (SIMBL) and the Malaysian International Merchant Bankers (MIMB) in Malaysia serving as Chairman and Managing Director of both companies. At the same time he also served as a member of the Singapore Securities Industry Council from 1972 to 1981. He announced his retirement from the SIMBL and MIMB offices in 1976. That same year, Yong was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Oversea-Chinese Banking CorporationOversea-Chinese Banking Corporation
The Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited , abbreviated as OCBC Bank , is a publicly listed financial services organisation with its head office in Singapore. OCBC Bank is one of Singapore's leading local banks, with group assets of more than 224 billion SGD. It has one of the highest bank...
(OCBC).
He was seconded in 1982 by the Singapore Government to form and head the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Private Limited is a sovereign wealth fund established by the Government of Singapore in 1981 to manage Singapore's foreign reserves...
(GIC), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore
Monetary Authority of Singapore
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is Singapore's central bank and financial regulatory authority...
as well. His experience in commercial banking proved to be invaluable to GIC as he effectively re-organized and streamlined the use of Singapore's foreign reserves.
He was also made Deputy Chairman of the Currency Commissioners, and Alternate Governor for Singapore of the International Monetary Fund.
In 1988, Yong became the first Chairman of the newly formed Institute of Policy Studies
Institute of Policy Studies (Singapore)
The Institute of Policy Studies was established in 1988 as a think-tank dedicated to fostering good governance in Singapore through strategic policy research and discussion....
, and established the Regional Speakers Programme which saw prominent speakers and intellectuals from around the region to share their understanding of the culture and politics of the countries in the region. This initiative greatly helped with the development of Singapore governance.
In Yong returned to the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation in 1983, as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer before returning to law as a judge in 1989.
Chief Justice
Chief Justice of Singapore
The Chief Justice of Singapore is the highest post in the judicial system of Singapore. The Chief Justice is appointed by the President, chosen from candidates recommended by the Prime Minister. The present Chief Justice is Chan Sek Keong....
, replacing Wee Chong Jin
Wee Chong Jin
Wee Chong Jin was born in Penang to parents Wee Gim Puay and Lim Paik Yew. He received his early education at the Penang Free School, and read law at St John's College, Cambridge...
. During his first speech at the opening of the legal year, he announced the abolition of the traditional wigs worn by judges and lawyers, and the use of archaic terms of address for judges of the Supreme Court such as "My Lord" or "Your Lordship". He also made the Singapore justice system
Judicial system of Singapore
The full Judicial power in Singapore is vested in the Supreme Court as well as subordinate courts by the Constitution of Singapore. The Supreme Court consists of the Court of Appeal and the High Court. The Court of Appeal exercises appellate criminal and civil jurisdiction, while the High Court...
move faster in processing cases during his tenure by introducing cutting-edge technology into the courtroom.
In 1991, there were about 2,000 lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
s to be heard at the High Court
High Court of Singapore
The High Court of the Republic of Singapore is the lower division of the Supreme Court of Singapore, the upper being the Court of Appeal. It consists of the Chief Justice of Singapore and the Judges of the High Court. Judicial Commissioners are often appointed to assist with the Court's caseload...
. A lawsuit could take several years to be heard. Some measures were introduced to resolve the problems which he described as an "embarrassing" state of affairs. When Yong left, it took only six months for the High Court to conclude a hearing.
However, the speed in which trials are conducted have led some critics to accuse Yong of convicting indiscriminately, leaving the burden of proof to the accused. As Chief Justice, he was also known to impose punitive sentences to those appealing cases he deemed to be frivolous.
Yong instituted the Night Courts in the Subordinate Courts, eliminating the need for members of the public to take time off work to attend court to answer to summonses for regulatory and minor offences. He also initiated the Justices' Law Clerk (JLC) scheme, under which top law graduates from leading universities in the United Kingdom and the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
The National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law is the older of Singapore's two law schools. The Faculty was initially established as the Department of Law in the then University of Malaya in 1956, with the first batch of students matriculating in the following year...
were actively recruited to the Singapore Legal Service. The EFS
Electronic Filing System
The Electronic Filing System is the Singapore Judiciary's electronic platform for filing and service of documents within the litigation process. In addition, it provides the registries of the Supreme Court and the Subordinate Courts with an electronic registry and workflow system; and an...
(soon to be replaced by the iELS
Integrated Electronic Litigation System
The Integrated Electronic Litigation Systems is an initiative by the Singapore Judiciary to replace the existing Electronic Filing System...
—designed to streamline the litigation process using technology—was also introduced during Yong's tenure as Chief Justice.
Yong was succeeded by the Honourable Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong
Chan Sek Keong
Chan Sek Keong is the current Chief Justice of Singapore, having taken over from the former Chief Justice Yong Pung How on 11 April 2006. Chan was formerly the Attorney-General of Singapore, before being succeeded by Chao Hick Tin on 11 April 2006....
, formerly Attorney-General of Singapore.
Honours
Yong was conferred conferred the Distinguished Service OrderDarjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang
The Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang was instituted in 1968. It is awarded to any person who has performed within Singapore any act or series of acts constituting distinguished conduct...
in 1989 and the Order of Temasek
Order of Temasek
The Darjah Utama Temasek is Singapore's second most important national honour and was instituted in 1962.There are 3 grades of the Order of Temasek:*the First Class, consisting of the Badge and the Star of the Order...
(First Class) on 9 August 1999 - with a citation stating that “as Chief Justice since 28 September 1990, Justice Yong Pung How has made the Singapore Judiciary world class”.
On 17 September 2001, Yong was awarded the honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
The National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law is the older of Singapore's two law schools. The Faculty was initially established as the Department of Law in the then University of Malaya in 1956, with the first batch of students matriculating in the following year...
(NUS), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Judiciary and the judicial system in Singapore. Yong was credited with introducing sweeping reforms in the legal service, enhancing the quality and efficiency of Singapore's judicial process and making the Singapore Judiciary world-class. Among his innovations was the introduction of case management which helped clear the backlog of cases and reduced the waiting time for the disposal of cases.
On 14 July 2007, Yong was awarded the honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the Singapore Management University
Singapore Management University
The Singapore Management University was officially incorporated on January 12, 2000, and was Singapore's first private university funded by the government...
(SMU), in recognition of his contribution to Singapore's legal sector. Yong was appointed as the chairman of SMU School of Law's advisory board in March 2007.
On 1 September 2010, Yong was appointed Chancellor of the Singapore Management University
Singapore Management University
The Singapore Management University was officially incorporated on January 12, 2000, and was Singapore's first private university funded by the government...
, the key university official who presides over all major formal ceremonies involving the university.
Personal life
Yong married his wife, Wei Woo who is a graduate from the London School of EconomicsLondon School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
and they have a daughter Yong Ying-I, who is a Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health
Ministry of Health (Singapore)
The Ministry of Health is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for providing information, raising health awareness and education, ensuring the accessibility of health services, and monitoring the quality of health services provided to citizens and visitors in the Republic of...
.
Further reading
- Yong, Pung How (2006) Speeches and judgments of Chief Justice Yong Pung How. Singapore : SNP Reference.