Appointment of new chairman of the National Parks Board

Singapore, 30 July 2026 – Mr Chew Hock Yong (周福荣) will be appointed as Chairman of the National Parks Board (NParks) with effect from 1 August 2026, succeeding Mr Loh Khum Yean (罗锦贤).

Mr Loh has served as the Chairman of NParks Board since October 2023. Under his stewardship, NParks advanced Singapore’s vision of becoming a City in Nature, integrating nature within the urban environment to strengthen liveability while addressing urbanisation and climate change. To reinforce green spaces as shared social and recreational assets, gardens and parks were further enhanced to better support overall well-being through the expansion of therapeutic landscapes such as therapeutic gardens and nature playgardens.

Over this period, NParks achieved significant progress in extending Singapore’s natural capital by expanding nature parks, restoring habitats, advancing terrestrial and marine conservation. Green space connectivity was steadily enhanced through the expansion of park connectors, nature corridors and nature ways, enhancing both biodiversity outcomes and public access to green spaces.

Mr Loh’s tenure saw the rollout of key initiatives such as the Cat Management Framework, the promotion of responsible pet ownership and the establishment of a Veterinary Council, a professional regulatory body, to uplift standards for veterinary professionals while safeguarding the health and welfare of animals.

Under Mr Loh’s leadership, NParks also advanced research, industry development, technology adoption and digitalisation to support the City in Nature vision. This included strengthening capabilities in biosurveillance and socio-ecological studies, enhancing wildlife monitoring through data and sensor-based technologies, and progressing digitalisation efforts to improve operational efficiency and service delivery.

Incoming Chairman

Mr Chew brings over three decades of distinguished public service experience and leadership roles across multiple ministries, including serving as Chief Executive of the Land Transport Authority and later as Second Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Development, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and Home Affairs, before retiring from the civil service on 1 November 2022. He most recently served as Chairman of Workforce Singapore until 30 June 2026.

Board Appointments

• The NParks Board will see several re-appointments and new additions for the upcoming term. All appointments will be for a two-year term, effective from 1 August 2026. The full list of NParks Board Members is appended in the Annex. Board Composition Changes • Re-appointments: Seven existing members will continue on the Board. They are Ms Eu Chin Fen, Mr Benett Theseira, Ms May Loh, Mr Stephen Beng, Ms Magdelene Chua, Mr Lim Shung Yar and Professor Tan Puay Yok.
• New appointments: Three new members, bringing a wealth of experience from both the private and public sectors, will join the Board. They are Ms Susan Soh, Ms Han Yong May and Ms Noorismawaty Binte Ismail.
• Retirements: Three members will step down upon the completion of their terms on 31 July 2026. They are Ms Tham Loke Kheng, Mr Gerald Tan and Associate Professor Nur Hidayah Binte Abu Bakar.

The 11-member Board will continue to guide NParks in fortifying Singapore’s transformation into a City in Nature amidst climate change, while working closely with the community to foster environmental stewardship.

The Ministry of National Development and NParks extend our deepest gratitude to Mr Loh and the outgoing Board members for their invaluable service, guidance and contributions during their tenure and welcome Mr Chew and the new Board Members.

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Jointly Issued by

Ministry of National Development and National Parks Board