Acra chief to step down, retire from public service in 2024
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Mrs Chia-Tern Huey Min will take over Mr Ong Khiaw Hong's position as head of Acra in April 2024.
PHOTOS: MOF, IRAS
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SINGAPORE - Mrs Chia-Tern Huey Min will take over Mr Ong Khiaw Hong’s position as head of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) in April 2024.
Mr Ong, 64, who has served as Acra’s chief executive since April 2017, will retire from public service on April 22, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said in a statement on Nov 22.
Mrs Chia-Tern will leave her current post as the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore’s (Iras) deputy commissioner for international, investigation and indirect taxes.
Under Mr Ong’s leadership, the regulatory board was transformed into a digital and data-driven organisation and began development of a new business registry and regulatory IT system “to shift from being an information provider to business enabler”, the MOF said.
He had previously served as deputy commissioner (corporate and services) at Iras before his appointment at Acra.
Mr Ong’s career began in the administrative service, in the education and defence ministries. He joined the then Inland Revenue Department in 1991 from the private sector and was director of taxation at the MOF from July 2000 to June 2002.
He received the Public Service Administration Medal (Gold) during the 2010 National Day Honours.
Mrs Chia-Tern, 60, has been with Iras for nearly 36 years and has represented Singapore globally in various tax forums.
She was instrumental in supporting businesses in their rental costs by implementing the Rental Support Scheme during the pandemic and strengthening Iras’ capabilities and powers to combat tax crimes, said the MOF.
She was seconded to the MOF as its chief tax policy officer from 2003 to 2005 and, from 2007 to 2013, concurrently held the position of CEO of the Tax Academy of Singapore.
In 2022, she received the Public Service Administration Medal (Gold) during the National Day Honours.
The statement said: “MOF and Acra would like to express our deepest appreciation to Mr Ong for his dedication and invaluable contributions… and extend our warmest welcome to Mrs Chia-Tern.”
