K. Shanmugam

In this Indian name, the name Kasiviswanathan is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Shanmugam.
The Honourable
K. Shanmugam
MP SC
காசிவிஸ்வநாதன் சண்முகம்
Minister for Home Affairs
Assumed office
1 October 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Teo Chee Hean
In office
1 November 2010 – 20 May 2011
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by Wong Kan Seng
Succeeded by Teo Chee Hean
Minister for Law
Assumed office
1 May 2008
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by S. Jayakumar
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Nee Soon GRC
(Chong Pang)
Assumed office
21 May 2011
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office
21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded by George Yeo
Succeeded by Vivian Balakrishnan
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Sembawang GRC
(Chong Pang)
In office
3 September 1988 – 18 April 2011
Personal details
Born (1959-03-26) 26 March 1959
Singapore
Political party People's Action Party
Spouse(s) Seetha Shanmugam
Alma mater National University of Singapore

Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam SC, (Tamil: காசிவிஸ்வநாதன் சண்முகம்; born 26 March 1959), better known as K. Shanmugam, is a Singaporean politician and lawyer. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Minister for Law since May 2008 and the Minister for Home Affairs since October 2015, a post which he had briefly served from November 2010 to May 2011. He previously served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from May 2011 to September 2015. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1988 representing the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (1988-2011) and the Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (since 2011), serving the Chong Pang ward in both constituencies.

Education

Shanmugam was educated in Raffles Institution from 1972 to 1977, before going on to study law at the National University of Singapore where he graduated at the top of his class with a First Class Honours degree in 1984.

Career

After being admitted to the Singapore Bar as an advocate and solicitor in 1985, Shanmugam went into private practice and became a Senior Partner and Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution at the Singapore law firm Allen & Gledhill.

Shanmugam had a successful practice and was consistently recognised in various international publications as one of the top litigation, arbitration and insolvency counsel in Asia. While he was in private practice, he regularly handled trial work in major corporate, commercial, insolvency disputes for private and public listed companies, major international and Singaporean banking and financial institutions, multinational corporations and professional practices.

In 1998, Shanmugam became one of the youngest lawyers to be appointed a Senior Counsel of the Supreme Court of Singapore at the age of 38.[1]

Political career

Shanmugam became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1988 when he was elected as a member for the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) of Sembawang. He served as an MP and continued to practise law until 2008, when he was brought into the Cabinet to replace S. Jayakumar as Minister for Law.[2] He was concurrently made the Second Minister for Home Affairs in 2008, and succeeded Wong Kan Seng as Minister for Home Affairs in 2010.

Following the 2011 general election, Shanmugam relinquished his portfolio as Minister for Home Affairs and was made the Minister for Foreign Affairs, while continuing to serve as Minister for Law.[3] As of 2015, Shanmugam remains as a Member of Parliament serving Chong Pang[4] while being actively concerned about the terror threat of the region.[5]

Personal life

A Tamil Indian, Shanmugam has been married to psychologist Dr Seetha Shanmugam since 2008. He was previously married to Jothie Rajah for 15 years.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Tempering the law with compassion". The Straits Times. 4 November 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2016 – via AsiaOne.
  2. ↑ Law Minister Jayakumar says K Shanmugam will be asset to cabinet, channelnewsasia.com, 29 March 2008
  3. ↑ PM Lee announces sweeping changes to Cabinet, channelnewsasia.com, 18 May 2011
  4. ↑ Shanmugam, K. "Member's Profile". GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  5. ↑ Saad, Imelda. "Paradigm shifting in spread of terror: Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam". CNA. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
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Political offices
Preceded by
S. Jayakumar		 Minister for Law
2008–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by
Wong Kan Seng		 Minister for Home Affairs
2010–2011 		Succeeded by
Teo Chee Hean
Preceded by
George Yeo		 Minister for Foreign Affairs
2011–2015 		Succeeded by
Vivian Balakrishnan
Preceded by
Teo Chee Hean		 Minister for Home Affairs
2015–present 		Incumbent
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