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Choo was awarded a government university scholarship and upon graduation, he served his scholarship bond in the Singapore Police Force, where he served 12 years in senior officer ranks including commanding officer of the Woodlands Neighbourhood Police Centre, head of the Special Investigation Section and deputy commander of the Clementi Police Division. He also served a stint on secondment to the Ministry of Manpower, where he was the deputy director of the Foreign Workforce Policy Department and was also a bodyguard assistant for the swearing-in of Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong and other new cabinet ministers at the Istana on 12 August 2004.
Choo resigned from the Singapore Police Force with the rank of Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police to join the NTUC in 2010. After serving on probation as the deputy director of the NTUC's Youth Development Unit, he later became deputy director of the Industrial Relations Unit. He also concurrently served as the executive secretary of the Union of Security Employees and the Singapore Shell Employees Union.
After a stint in 2013 in the private sector with Kestrel Capital Pte Ltd, an investment firm, Desmond returned to the public sector to rejoin NTUC in April 2014 and is now the assistant secretary-general of National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). Choo is also the Director of Policy Division at NTUC that oversees the economic and social policies, strategic communications and international affairs. He advocates for young workers and young families, helps workers cope with restructuring and make the most of new job opportunities highlighted in the Industry Transformation Maps. He is also the Executive Secretary of the Union of Telecoms Employees of Singapore and Advisor to the Young NTUC Committee.
Political career
A member of the country's governing People's Action Party (PAP), he is currently a mayor of the North East District of Singapore.
Choo stood as a candidate for Singapore's governing People's Action Party (PAP) at the 2011 general election in Hougang SMC, where he was defeated by the Workers' Party by 35.2% of the valid votes.[6] After Yaw was expelled from the Workers' Party and lost his seat in Parliament in 2012, the PAP announced that Choo would be the party's candidate in the 2012 Hougang by-election.[7] He was defeated in the by-election by the Workers' Party with 37.9% of the valid votes.[8]
He was then appointed Chairperson of Manpower Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) in the 14th Parliament of Singapore.[9]
Choo's uncle, Choo Wee Khiang, was a PAP Member of Parliament from 1988 to 1999[10] who had been convicted of cheating in 1999 after resigning from his position in Parliament.[11] Choo had described his uncle as a source of inspiration and counsel.[12]
The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency/seat he or she represents. PAP: People's Action Party; WP: The Workers' Party; PSP: Progress Singapore Party All of the leaders of the respective GRCs are in underline. MP(s) who is go on a leave of absence is in italic. NMPs do not belong to any party.
The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency he or she represents. PAP: People's Action Party; WP: The Workers' Party NMPs do not belong to any party. There were two terms of NMPs in this parliament, with nine NMPs in each term.
