Army chief Melvyn Ong promoted to head of defence force, Brigadier-General Goh Si Hou will be new chief of army

Major-General (MG) Melvyn Ong Su Kiat (left), currently Chief of Army, will take over as Chief of Defence Force on March 23, 2018. Brigadier-General (BG) Goh Si Hou, currently Commander 6th Singapore Division, will take over as Chief of Army on March 21, 2018. PHOTOS: MINDEF
Maj-Gen Ong, 43, will replace Lieutenant-General Perry Lim (above), 46. PHOTO: MINDEF

SINGAPORE - Army Chief Melvyn Ong Su Kiat will take over as Chief of Defence Force on March 23.

The 43-year-old will replace Lieutenant-General Perry Lim, 46, who has "served the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) with distinction since his enlistment", the Ministry of Defence said on Monday (March 12).

The changes are "part of the continuing process of leadership renewal in the Singapore Armed Forces", a ministry spokesman said.

Maj-Gen Ong was promoted to his current rank in 2016. He joined the SAF in 1994 and was awarded the SAF Overseas Scholarship.

In his military career, he commanded the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade and headed the SAF's Joint Plans and Transformation Department.

He was also in charge of the National Day Parade in 2015, the year that founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew died.

A seat was left empty that year in remembrance of Mr Lee's contributions.

Commander of SAF's 6th division Brigadier-General Goh Si Hou, 40, will replace Maj-Gen Ong as army chief.

He joined the SAF in 1997 and was awarded the President's Scholarship as well as the SAF Overseas Scholarship.

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