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Calvin Cheng
Calvin Cheng
from Wikipedia

Calvin Cheng Ern Lee (born 24 September 1975) is a Singaporean businessman and former Nominated Member of Parliament. Cheng is known for his views on socio-political issues in Singapore. He began his business career in the modeling industry and expanded into event hosting, publishing, and educational technology.

Key Information

Education

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Cheng earned his undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Hertford College, Oxford University. He later earned a master's degree in industrial relations. In 2017, he made a donation to Hertford to establish a prize for PPE students.[2]

Business career

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Cheng was the Asia-Pacific head of Elite Model Management from 2001 to 2004.[1][3][4] During his tenure, he opened an Elite agency in India while developing other projects in the region.[5][6] In 2004, Cheng set up Elite Models Singapore Pte Ltd. The company was renamed Looque Models Singapore Pte Ltd in 2005.[7]: 6–7  Through Looque he ran several franchising businesses in the fields of luxury events, media, and talent management in entertainment and business.[8] Cheng ran Ford Models Supermodel of the World competitions under license from Ford in China in 2007 and in Malaysia in 2011.[9][10] The World Economic Forum named Cheng a Young Global Leader in 2009.[11]

On 23 November 2011, several model agencies, including Looque Models, were fined for price fixing.[12][13] They fixed prices on modelling services through the Association of Modelling Industry Professionals (AMIP) from 2004, continuing after anti-competition laws were in effect.[14] Cheng claimed in defense that the goal was to raise wages for models.[15] The Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) ruled that AMIP engaged in anti-competitive price-fixing that resulted in customers paying more, causing an adverse impact on the market.[16][17] CCS noted that as president of AMIP, Cheng played a central role by instructing AMIP members how to mask the collusion to evade detection and complaints.[7]: point 213h, page 95 [18] Cheng's appeal of this ruling was dismissed because he had not been personally fined.[19]

In August 2015, Cheng merged one of his franchise businesses, Lumina Looque Knowledge Hubs Pte Ltd, with a Chinese firm called ReTech that focused on educational technology,[20][8][21] and led the company to IPO on the Australian Stock Exchange in June 2017.[22] In June 2023, Retech Technology Co issued an announcement that Calvin Cheng had resigned his directorship in the company.[23]

In May 2022, Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority awarded a provisional virtual asset license to Cheng's company Web3 Holdings FZE,[24] a non-fungible token (NFT) and fan token cryptocurrency investment company.[25]

In February 2023, Cheng's digital asset management company, Damoon Technologies, which allowed fiat money to cashless cryptocurrency transactions and vice-versa, was officially given regulatory approval by FINMA, Switzerland’s financial services watchdog.[24] In August 2023, Anchored Coins, formerly known as Damoon Technologies, issued two fiat-backed stablecoins AEUR and ACHF on two major public blockchains.[26]

Government roles

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In July 2009, Cheng was appointed to a 2+12 year term as a Nominated Member of Parliament in Singapore's 11th Parliament.[27] As NMPs are supposed to reflect nonpartisan views, the newspaper Today questioned his appointment in light of his membership in Young PAP.[28] Cheng resigned from Young PAP shortly thereafter.[29][30] His term as an NMP ended after 21 months when Parliament was dissolved during the general elections.[31]

In 2012, Cheng was appointed to the newly formed Media Literacy Council (MLC) of Singapore's Ministry of Communications and Information, which was created to "promote civility and responsibility on the Internet".[32][33] He served two two-year terms on the MLC.[34]

In November 2022, the prime minister of Serbia appointed Cheng as the first honorary consul of Serbia to Singapore to establish closer ties with the country. Prior to his appointment, the ambassador in Jakarta would assist Serbian interests.[35]

Socio-political views

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Cheng often posts his views on socio-political issues in Singapore on Facebook, and is known for attracting controversy at times for his outspoken views.[36][37]

In November 2015, while he was on the Media Literacy Council, Cheng advocated for the killing of children of terrorists on the Facebook page of entrepreneur and commentator Devadas Krishnadas.[38] His comments led to a verbal warning from Tan Cheng Han, the Chairman of the MLC. Cheng apologized to the MLC.[39][40]

Amos Yee, a teenager who had been previously jailed for comments offensive to the Singaporean government, was convicted and jailed in 2016 for "hurting religious feelings" in his online responses to Cheng's Facebook posts.[41][42] In March 2017, a United States judge granted Yee political asylum, citing the different ways that Cheng and Yee had been treated, where Cheng was not charged, and Yee was charged and convicted.[43]

On 12 March 2025, Minister for Law and Home Affairs, K. Shanmugam was confronted by two women from Monday of Palestine Solidarity group at his Meet-The-People session to address Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act.[44] The confrontation was recorded on video and lasted seven minutes.[45] On 13 March, Cheng, in a facebook post, offered to send the activist group to Gaza, provided they do not return to Singapore and also told their Facebook followers to leave Singapore for Gaza.[46][47] It was later discovered that Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and Senior Minister of State for National Development and Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How had liked the post by Cheng.[48] Tan claimed that he had accidentally like the post after Monday of Palestine Solidarity had questioned him about Cheng's post. He had since “unliked” the Facebook post.[48] Balakrishnan claimed he did not like the post and had since gotten Meta, the owner and operator of Facebook, to investigate unauthorised activity on his facebook account.[48]

On 28 March, former Singapore Democratic Party chairman Jufrie Mahmood filed a police report against Cheng for being an Islamophobe describing his actions as a "danger to our precious racial and religious harmony".[49] On 2 April, Cheng posted on Facebook that he will take legal action over defamatory statements made against him, including Jufrie who had filed a police report against him, Reform Party secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam who asked for a probe against Cheng and sociopolitical platform The Online Citizen.[48] Shanmugam, during a visit to Masjid Maarof in Jurong, expressed his views are sharply different from Cheng's on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[49] Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli also posted on Facebook that he disagreed with Cheng.[46]

On 10 April, Cheng posted on Facebook again that he had met with Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Hassan and Ustaz Pasuni Maulan at Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands on 9 April.[47] He said that he told them he did not intend any attack and had spoken to the Malay/Muslim community over the previous week and had realised he should be more sensitive and not said to send people to a conflict zone.[50] Cheng also asserted that other had spoken untrue statements about him and he had to take legal actions.[50] Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, during a visit to Madrasah Aljunied with Ustaz Hasbi and Ustaz Pasuni, said Cheng's remarks were "completely insensitive and unacceptable".[51][47]

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Calvin Cheng is a Singaporean serial entrepreneur, media executive, and former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) appointed to represent non-constituency perspectives in Singapore's legislature. He holds degrees from the University of Oxford, including a BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Hertford College and an MSc in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management from Saïd Business School. Cheng has built a career across fashion, media, and technology, serving as President of Elite Model Management for Asia, owner of Ford Models franchises in Singapore, Malaysia, and China, and co-chairman of Retech Technology Co., where he led its initial public offering on the Australian Securities Exchange. Additionally, he founded a $100 million media investment fund in partnership with China's Bona Film Group and has ventured into fintech and event management. In diplomacy, Cheng serves as the first Honorary Consul and Chief of Diplomatic Mission of the Republic of Serbia to Singapore, and he is recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Notable for his candid commentary on socio-political matters, Cheng has drawn both support and criticism.

Early life and education

Education

Calvin Cheng received his early education in Singapore, attending The Chinese High School before proceeding to Hwa Chong Junior College as a Humanities Scholar. These institutions later merged into Hwa Chong Institution, where Cheng completed his pre-university studies. Cheng pursued higher education at the University of Oxford, earning a Bachelor of Arts with honours in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Hertford College. During his time there, he founded the Oxford University PPE Society and served as its inaugural president. He later obtained a Master of Science in Management from Oxford's Saïd Business School. In 2017, Cheng endowed the Calvin Cheng PPE Prize at Hertford College to recognize outstanding performance among PPE students.

Professional career

Business ventures in fashion and media

He held the role of Asia-Pacific head for Elite Model Management, during which the Elite Model Look world finals were held in Singapore in 2003, with local finals also held in Korea and India, overseeing 10 model agencies and owning licenses for the Ford Supermodel of the World contest in Singapore, Malaysia, and China. Cheng co-founded Lumina-Looque International, an integrated media company focused on fashion events and talent management, with offices in Singapore and regional operations. As executive director of the Lumina-Looque Group, he organized fashion events for global luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Moncler, and Valentino. Cheng served as a shareholder in Lumina Live!, a company that co-organizes Singapore Fashion Week alongside other luxury events across the region. Lumina Live! also publishes JUICE magazine in Singapore, covering fashion, lifestyle, and urban culture. In the modeling sector, he judged regional contests including Elite Model Look, Ford Supermodel, Miss World, and Miss Earth. In media investments, Cheng partnered with China's Bona Film Group to establish a $100 million media fund targeted at content production and distribution. These ventures positioned him as a key figure in Asia's fashion and media industries prior to his expansions into technology and digital assets.

Other entrepreneurial activities

In 2010, Cheng founded Jue Rui Bao Si, a corporate training company in China focused on soft skills development for leading firms. In August 2015, he merged this entity with Rui Tai, a PRC-based online corporate training provider, to establish Retech Technology Co. in Hong Kong, serving as co-founder and later co-chairman. Retech specialized in building online platforms for corporate training, with clients including Ping An Insurance, Mercedes-Benz, Bank of China, and Sephora. Retech also expanded into private education through its subsidiary Ai English, an online English tutoring service targeting students in China. Cheng led the company through its initial public offering on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:RTE). The company encountered financial troubles in 2022, including a winding-up petition filed in November, following China's 2021 double reduction policy ordered by Xi Jinping, which restricted private tutoring including online English services and impacted Ai English. Cheng remained a substantial shareholder, co-chairman, and director until resigning these roles in June 2023. The company was ordered into winding up in July 2023 and delisted from the ASX on 29 August 2023. In 2018, Cheng served as founding CEO of AlphaBit CryptoCurrency Exchange (ABCC), before he sold his full stake in June 2020 off the back of booming crypto prices due to the Bitcoin halving and COVID-19. Cheng expanded into Web3 and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) by establishing Web3 Holdings FZE in Dubai, securing a provisional virtual asset license from the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority in May 2022 as the first such regulated NFT investment holding company in the emirate. In February 2023, his Swiss-based Damoon Technologies received regulatory approval via membership in the Financial Services Standards Association, enabling compliant digital asset operations. He founded Paymonade, a European digital asset on-off ramp facilitating crypto-to-fiat conversions. For example, it offers these services to Binance through credit cards and bank transfers in Europe, which partnered with Binance for credit/debit card sales features; while Cheng ceased significant control of the UK entity (Paymonade UK Ltd) in April 2025, he retains control as Chairman and Founder of the primary Polish entity (Paymonade sp. z o.o.).

Public and political roles

Tenure as Nominated Member of Parliament

Calvin Cheng was appointed as a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) on 18 July 2009 to the second session of Singapore's Eleventh Parliament, at the age of 33. NMPs are non-constituency members appointed by the President of Singapore on the recommendation of a Special Select Committee of Parliament, selected for their expertise to provide independent viewpoints in Parliament, with terms typically lasting up to 2.5 years unless Parliament is dissolved earlier. Cheng, an entrepreneur in fashion and media, was among nine appointees chosen to contribute perspectives on economic, social, and cultural matters. His tenure lasted approximately 21 months, concluding on 19 April 2011 upon the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the general election. During this period, Cheng participated in parliamentary proceedings by posing oral and written questions on policy issues. On 19 October 2009, he questioned the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources about prohibiting construction works on Sundays and public holidays to mitigate noise pollution. In 2010, he inquired about the Integrated Resorts, seeking details from the Second Minister for Trade and Industry on their development and economic impact. Cheng's contributions focused on leveraging his business experience to advocate for practical policy adjustments, though specific debates or committee roles during his term are not extensively documented in public records. His appointment drew initial scrutiny for his prior membership in the People's Action Party's youth wing, raising questions about NMP impartiality requirements, but he retained the position without formal challenge. Following the end of his term, Cheng relocated to China to expand his entrepreneurial ventures. In November 2023, Cheng was awarded the Public Service Medal (COVID-19), a national award instituted by the Singapore government to recognize commendable public service contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, for his contributions to Singapore's COVID-19 response, including securing additional vaccine supplies pro bono during a shortage in June 2021.

Diplomatic appointments

In November 2022, Calvin Cheng was personally appointed as the first Honorary Consul of the Republic of Serbia to the Republic of Singapore by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, marking the establishment of Serbia's consular representation in the city-state following the commencement of diplomatic relations between the two countries. As Honorary Consul and Chief of Diplomatic Mission, Cheng's responsibilities include promoting bilateral trade, economic cooperation, and cultural exchanges, while facilitating visa services and consular assistance for Serbian nationals in Singapore. This appointment was officially recognized in Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs diplomatic and consular list, effective from 24 November 2022. Cheng's role leverages his background in business and public service to strengthen ties between Singapore and Serbia, particularly in areas such as technology and innovation, aligning with Serbia's efforts to expand its diplomatic footprint in Asia. No further diplomatic appointments for Cheng have been recorded as of October 2025.

Young Global Leader

Calvin Cheng was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, a program that identifies and engages influential leaders under the age of 40 from various sectors worldwide to participate in its global community and forums.

Socio-political views

Positions on social issues

Cheng has expressed support for the decriminalization of homosexuality in Singapore, noting the repeal of Section 377A in 2022 as progress, while attributing homosexual orientation to genetic factors akin to views held by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. He advocates for equal rights for homosexual individuals but emphasizes achieving societal change through broad consensus rather than confrontational activism, expressing sympathy for peaceful events like Pink Dot while critiquing militant elements within the LGBT movement. On marriage and related issues, Cheng distinguishes from core decriminalization efforts and cautions against extending in ways that lack firm grounding under , which he argues relies on shifting societal consensus rather than enduring principles. Regarding transgenderism, he acknowledges it as a legitimate condition but critiques oversimplifications in , particularly concerning interventions for minors, viewing such matters as distinct from and requiring careful to avoid ideological overreach. In discussions of gender roles, Cheng has criticized statements from of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), a women's , particularly regarding proposals to extend compulsory to women, arguing against policies that established gender-based obligations in Singapore's conscription . His positions align with preserving traditional structures amid Singapore's conservative societal norms, opposing activist-driven changes that prioritize over stability and pro-natalist incentives.

Commentary on governance and foreign policy

Following the death of Lee Kuan Yew in 2015, Cheng authored an article titled "Lee Kuan Yew and the Myth of Trade-Offs," arguing against the notion that Singapore's economic success came at the expense of other freedoms; the piece was published in the Huffington Post and publicised in The Independent among other international media. Cheng has described Singapore's political system under the People's Action Party (PAP) as an anomaly within first-past-the-post Westminster frameworks, attributing the PAP's sustained dominance to effective delivery of governance outcomes rather than electoral manipulation. He contends that voters ought to prioritize electing the party equipped to govern over fragmenting support for opposition checks and balances, noting that "every election is [the] PAP's to lose" due to proven competence in maintaining stability and prosperity. Regarding , Cheng has questioned the standard rationale for high ministerial salaries, dismissing the argument that they primarily deter as "silly" and inadequate, while implicitly endorsing merit-based compensation tied to in a competitive global . On population and immigration policy, Cheng has advocated revisiting the 2013 Population White Paper, an unpopular policy addressing demographic challenges through controlled population growth including immigration, arguing it is time to reconsider its measures for Singapore's long-term needs. In , Cheng emphasizes a pragmatic, Singapore-centric approach, insisting that it "must ALWAYS serve the needs of Singaporeans" by prioritizing economic and over ideological alignments, much like domestic policies. He affirms that political parties hold the right to articulate positions on international matters, including contentious issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict, though he has accused opposition groups such as the Workers' Party of opportunistically leveraging debates for domestic electoral advantage.

Controversies

Modelling agencies price-fixing case

In 2011, as president of the Association of Modelling Industry Professionals (AMIP), Cheng facilitated discussions among member agencies, including his Looque Models Singapore Pte Ltd, leading to a price-fixing agreement on minimum rates for modelling services to standardize practices and raise model wages; this was uncovered by Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) inspections in July 2009. CCS fined 11 agencies a total of S$361,596, including S$31,241 on Looque Models, for violating section 34 of the Competition Act. The Competition Appeal Board (CAB) upheld the infringement in 2013 but reduced penalties for low profit margins, lowering Looque's fine to S$26,555; Cheng's personal appeal was dismissed in 2012 as he was not held individually responsible.

Disputes over LGBT advocacy

Cheng advocated for homosexuality as an innate trait, supporting Section 377A decriminalization during his 2009–2011 NMP tenure and arguing in a 2014 op-ed for consensus-driven change over confrontational activism to avoid backlash. He defended the Health Promotion Board's 2014 sexuality FAQs stating homosexuality is not a disease or choice, debunking myths like it being a "Western import" or curable, which drew criticism from conservatives accusing him of promoting an LGBT agenda. Support for Pink Dot SG events and criticism of conservative groups like Focus on the Family intensified tensions with religious opponents, such as pastor Lawrence Khong's Wear White campaign. Post-parliament, Cheng expressed regret for slower LGBT progress, crediting genetic factors while opposing discrimination, sustaining disputes with conservatives until 377A's 2022 repeal.

Criticisms of electoral and activist comments

Cheng's August 2024 podcast remarks downplaying gerrymandering in Singapore due to lack of exploitable enclaves echoed PAP views but drew backlash for ignoring historical boundary adjustments favoring incumbents. During the 2020 election, his questioning of Workers' Party candidate Jamus Lim's credentials as elitist was criticized for bias toward establishment profiles. A 2016 Facebook post advocating killing terrorists and their families to deter others prompted condemnation for extremism and at least one police report filed by a member of the People's Power Party; however, after investigation and consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers, the police closed the case without further action. In March 2023, his social media post warning Progress Singapore Party NCMP Leong Mun Wai, "I am coming for you".

Advocacy for cashless payments and backlash

In February 2023, Cheng urged boycotting cash-only food stalls in Singapore's CBD as "backward," defending shaming to promote cashless society despite hawkers' challenges like thin margins. Netizens called his stance elitist; Ho Ching, former CEO of Temasek and wife of former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, advocated empathy for small businesses transitioning digitally over condemnation.

2025 remarks on pro-Palestine activism

In March 2025, Cheng criticized pro-Palestine activism in Singapore for risking multi-ethnic divisions amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, posting on Facebook about funding relocation to Gaza for members of the "Monday of Palestine Solidarity" group—who had disrupted Minister K. Shanmugam's session—to experience conditions firsthand and not return. Officials including PM Lawrence Wong, Shanmugam, and Masagos Zulkifli condemned the remarks as insensitive and harmful to harmony; Pergas called them troubling. A police report by Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood alleging harm to harmony led to Cheng's defamation suit and retraction. On April 10, Cheng publicly expressed deep remorse and met Muslim leaders, maintaining concerns over foreign-focused activism. In August, he accused Workers' Party of exploiting the issue electorally, rebutted by Pritam Singh (Leader of the Opposition). Post-May 2025 election, Cheng opposed aggressive activism; in October, he condemned activists' pressure canceling an Israel-linked gala at Fullerton Hotel, pledging venue help, and confirmed its November success elsewhere. These events underscored debates on free expression versus communal stability in international conflicts.

References

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