From February next year, Ministry of National Development (MND) deputy secretary (development) Tan Meng Dui, will take over the supervision of elections.

As Returning Officer (RO), besides announcing election results, he will oversee the conduct of polls, directing thousands of election officials who run polling stations and count ballots in any parliamentary or presidential election.

Mr Tan, 50, brings to his new role experience from being a Group Assistant Returning Officer (Garo) during the 2015 General Election, when he oversaw nomination and election activities in two group representation constituencies and two single-member constituencies.

"I met many public servants in the course of my Garo duties," he told The Straits Times in an e-mail interview. "They took their roles as election officials seriously, working quietly behind the scenes and putting their best foot forward to guide and help fellow citizens through the election process."

"The role of the (RO) is an important one," he said. "I look forward to working closely with the Elections Department and my fellow colleagues in the public service to ensure that elections continue to be carried out smoothly."

Mr Tan takes over as RO from veteran civil servant Ng Wai Choong, 52, who will relinquish the role with his appointment as Commissioner of Inland Revenue and chief executive of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

At MND, Mr Tan oversees the housing division, formulating and implementing housing policies for different segments of Singapore's population. He also looks after the research and strategy management division.

He joined the Singapore Armed Forces in 1986, and retired from regular military service as a brigadier-general in 2011. In January this year, he was appointed a board director at port operator Jurong Port.

Seow Bei Yi