Singapore Government Press Release
Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts,
MITA Building, 140 Hill Street, 2nd Storey, Singapore 179369
Tel: 837-9666

 

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRESS STATEMENT

The following Ambassadors and High Commissioners presented their Credentials to President S R Nathan in separate ceremonies at the Istana today: The Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar, U Hla Thann; the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia, Dr Mohammed Ameen Kurdi; the High Commissioner of Malaysia, Mr Hamidon bin Ali; the Ambassador of Japan, Mr Toshiyuki Takano; the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, Sir Stephen (David Reid) Brown; and the High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam, Mr Haji Adnan bin Haji Zainal.

U Hla Thann succeeds U Myo Myint. Dr Mohammed Ameen Kurdi is the first Saudi Ambassador to Singapore. Mr Hamidon bin Ali succeeds Dato’ Haji Salim Hashim. Mr Toshiyuki Takano succeeds Mr Hiroshi Hashimoto. Sir Stephen (David Reid) Brown succeeds Mr Alan C Hunt. Mr Haji Adnan bin Haji Zainal succeeds Pehin Dato Haji Hussin bin Haji Sulaiman.

The curricula vitae of U Hla Thann, Dr Mohammed Ameen Kurdi, Mr Hamidon bin Ali, Mr Toshiyuki Takano, Sir Stephen (David Reid) Brown and Mr Haji Adnan bin Haji Zainal are attached.

 

. . . . .

 

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

10 APRIL 2001

U HLA THANN

AMBASSADOR - DESIGNATE TO SINGAPORE

UNION OF MYANMAR

BORN:

5 September 1951, Panthein

   
   

AGE:

49

   
   

MARITAL

STATUS:

Married to Daw Khin Aye Myint

Has two daughters

   
   

EDUCATION:

Bachelor of Science, Defence Services Academy, 1973

Adjutant and Quartermaster Course, 1980

Company Commander Course, 1982

Regiment Commander Refresher Course, 1992

   
   

CAREER:

1969-73

Cadet, Defence Services Academy

     
 

1973-79

2nd Lieutenant/Lieutenant/Captain, Officer, No. (98) Myanmar Regiment

     
 

1980

Captain, Company Commander, No. (2) Chin Rifles Regiment

     
 

1981-82

Capatin, Company Commander, No. (17) Myanmar Light Infantry Regiment

     
 

1982-84

Captain, Staff Officer, Northern Command

     
 

1984-87

Captain, Staff Officer, Southwest Command

 

1988

Major, Company Commander, No. (2) Kachin Rifles Regiment

     
 

1989-92

Major, Commanding Officer, No. (7) Military Intelligence Unit

     
 

1992-93

Major, Staff Officer, Northwest Command

     
 

1993-96

Lieutenant-Colonel, Asssistant Military, Naval and Air Attaché to Thailand

     
 

1996

Naval and Air Attaché to Thailand

     
 

1997

Lieutenant-Colonel, Staff Officer Grade (1), Ministry of Defence

     
 

1998-2000

Consul-General, Consulate General of Myanmar, Hong Kong

   
 

Dec 2000 Ambassador-designate to Singapore

AWARDS:

Naing Ngan Daw Sit Hmu Htan Tazeik

Pyi Thu Sit Tiat Pwe Win Tazeik

Naing Ngan Daw Aye Chan Tha Yar Ye Tazeik

Sit Hmu Htan Thet Tazeik

Naing Ngan Ah Kyo Soung Tazeik

Yan Nyein Aye Tazeik

Tatmadaw Gonsaung Ahmu Htan Tazeik (Third Grade)

Tatmadaw Gonsaung Ahmu Htan Tazeik (Second Grade)

Sit Pwe Tazeik

Sit Hmu Htan Kaung Tazeik

 

. . . . .

December 2000

DR MOHAMMED AMEEN BIN ALI BIN MOHAMMED KURDI

AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO SINGAPORE

THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

BORN:

22 May 1947, Madinah

AGE:

53

MARITAL

STATUS:

Married, with children

EDUCATION:

Graduated (Engineering Mathematics), University of California, Berkley, 1969

   
 

Masters (Pure Mathematics), Oregon State University, 1970

   
 

Masters (Applied Mathematics), University of California, 1972

   
 

Doctorate (Applied Mathematics), University of California, 1974

   
   

CAREER:

1974-1978

Member, Teaching Council at the Faculty of Science in King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah

     
   

Head of Mathematics Department

     
   

Founder and Director of the Computer Centre

     
   

Assistant Dean of the Engineering Faculty

     
 

1976

Co-ordinator of the Third Computer Conference in Abdulaziz University, Jeddah

     

CAREER:

(cont’d)

1978-1979

Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu

   

Deputy Director General of Yanbu Project

 

1980-1994

Private Sector

     
   

Advisor to the Director General of International Airport Projects

     
   

Founder and Director General of several companies specialised in the IT sector

     
   

Developer of Academic Curriculum Program "Al Ustaz" (The Teacher)

     
   

Advisor to the Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Jeddah

     
   

Chairman of the Computer Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Jeddah

     
 

1994-1998

Advisor to HE Minister of Commerce

     
   

Chairman of the National Committee for E Commerce

     
 

1998

Ambassador in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
   

Director General of the Department of Technical Communication and Computers

     
   

Chairman of the National Communication Centre for the YK2 issue

     
 

Nov 2000

Ambassador-designate to Singapore

     
     

CONFERENCES

ATTENDED:

Participated in various national and international conferences, seminars and workshops

 

Member of the Technical Team for negotiating the joining of WTO

   

CONFERENCES

ATTENDED:

(cont’d)

Representative of Ministry of Commerce in the Internet Security Committee

 

Representative of the Ministry of Commerce in the Supreme National Committee for the YK2 issue

 

Representative of the Kingdom in the meetings of Information Committee of the International Organisation for the protection of Intellectual Property Rights

   
 

Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Supreme National Committee for the YK2 issue

   
 

Representative of the Kingdom in the meetings of Electronic Trade Working Group in the Legal Committee of the United Nations

   

 

. . . . .

 

10 April 2001

HAMIDON BIN ALI

HIGH COMMISSIONER-DESIGNATE TO SINGAPORE

MALAYSIA

BORN:

22 January, 1950

   
   

AGE:

50

   
   

MARITAL

Married

STATUS:

Has two children

   
   

EDUCATION:

B.A. (HONS) University of Monash

   
 

M.P.A. Harvard University

   
   

CAREER:

Jan 1974

Appointment to the Administrative and Diplomatic Service of Malaysia and served as Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia

     
 

Mar 1978

Second Secretary, Embassy of Malaysia, Paris, France

     
 

Jun 1981

First Secretary, Embassy of Malaysia in Beijing, People’s Republic of China

     
 

Dec 1983

Principal Assistant Secretary (Inspectorate) (Maritime and Environment), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia

     
 

Jun 1986

Principal Assistant Secretary (Maritime and Environment), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia

     
 

Sep 1988

Minister Councellor, Embassy of Malaysia, Tokyo, Japan

     
 

Oct 1991

Under Secretary (Economic I), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia

     
 

Dec 1996 to 2000

Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

   
 

Oct 2000 High Commissioner-designate to

Singapore

AWARDS:

1994

Commander of the Order of Bernado O’Higgins (Government of Chile)

   
 

1995

Kesatria Mangku Negara (KMN)

   
   
   

October 2000

TOSHIYUKI TAKANO

AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO SINGAPORE

JAPAN

BORN:

11 February 1944 in Tokyo

   
   

AGE:

57

   
   

MARITAL

Married

STATUS:

Has two children

   
   

EDUCATION:

Passed Higher Diplomatic Service Examination, 1966

Graduated from Tokyo University, Faculty of Liberal Arts, 1967

   
   

CAREER:

1967

Joined Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
 

1983

Director, Disarmament Division, United Nations Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
 

1983

Private Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs

     
 

1986

Director, Northeast Asia Division, Asian Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
 

1987

Counsellor, Embassy of Japan in the United States of America

     
 

1990

Director, Personnel Division, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
 

1992

Deputy Director-General, Asian Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 

 

 

 

CAREER:

(cont'd)

1994

Deputy Director-General, North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
 

1996

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea

     
 

1997

Director-General, North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
 

1998

Director-General, Foreign Service Training Institute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
 

1999

Director-General, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

     
 

Dec 2000 –

to date

Amb-designate to Singapore

March 2001

SIR STEPHEN (DAVID REID) BROWN, KCVO

HIGH COMMISSIONER-DESIGNATE TO SINGAPORE

THE UNITED KINGDOM

BORN:

26 December 1945

   
   

AGE:

55

   
   

MARITAL STATUS

Married to Pamela Denise Gaunt

Has one son (1965) and one daughter (1969)

   
   

EDUCATION:

Leeds Grammar School

   
 

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

   
 

University of Sussex (BA Hons)

     

CAREER:

1966-1976

Served in HM’s Armed Forces

     
 

1976

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

     
 

1976-1977

FCO (Arms Control/ Disarmament Department)

     
 

1977-1980

First Secretary, Nicosia

 

1980-1985

First Secretary (Commercial), British Embassy, Paris

     
 

1985-1987

FCO (Mexico, Central American Department)

     
 

1987-1988

FCO (Information Department)

     
 

1989

FCO (Counsellor, loan to Department of Trade and Industry)

     
 

1989-1994

Consul-General, Melbourne

     
 

1994-1997

Counsellor (Commercial), British Embassy, Beijing

     
 

1997-2000

HM Ambassador, Seoul

 

Jan 2001

High Commissioner-designate to

Singapore

LANGUAGES:

 

Speaks French, German, Greek and Spanish

     

HOBBIES:

 

Reading, skiing and motor sports

February 2001