Lim Swee Say (Chinese: 林瑞生; pinyin: Lín Ruìshēng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Sūi-seⁿ; born 13 July 1954)[1] is a Singaporean former politician who served as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress between 2005 and 2015, Minister for Manpower between 2015 and 2018, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office between 2004 and 2015, Second Minister for National Development between 2004 and 2005, and Minister for the Environment between 2000 and 2004.
Lim Swee Say | |
|---|---|
| 林瑞生 | |
 Lim in 2011 | |
| Minister for Manpower | |
| In office 4 May 2015 – 30 April 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Second Minister | Josephine Teo (2017–2018) |
| Preceded by | Tan Chuan-Jin |
| Succeeded by | Josephine Teo |
| Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress | |
| In office 15 October 2007 – 3 May 2015 | |
| Deputy | Heng Chee How |
| Preceded by | Lim Boon Heng |
| Succeeded by | Chan Chun Sing |
| Party Whip of the People's Action Party | |
| In office 1 April 2007 – 20 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Lee Boon Yang |
| Succeeded by | Gan Kim Yong |
| Minister in the Prime Minister's Office | |
| In office 12 August 2004 – 3 May 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | Lim Hng Kiang |
| Succeeded by | Josephine Teo (2017) Desmond Lee (2017) |
| Second Minister for National Development | |
| In office 12 August 2004 – 29 May 2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Minister | Mah Bow Tan |
| Succeeded by | Desmond Lee (2017) |
| Minister for the Environment | |
| In office 23 November 2001 – 11 August 2004 Acting: 1 October 2000 – 22 November 2001 | |
| Prime Minister | Goh Chok Tong |
| Preceded by | Lee Yock Suan |
| Succeeded by | Yaacob Ibrahim |
| Member of the Singapore Parliament for East Coast GRC (Bedok) | |
| In office 7 May 2011 – 23 June 2020 | |
| Preceded by | S. Jayakumar (PAP) |
| Succeeded by | Heng Swee Keat (PAP) |
| Member of the Singapore Parliament for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC (Buona Vista) | |
| In office 6 May 2006 – 19 April 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Chan Chun Sing (PAP) |
| Member of the Singapore Parliament for Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC (Buona Vista) | |
| In office 25 October 2001 – 20 April 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of the Singapore Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC (Buona Vista) | |
| In office 2 January 1997 – 18 October 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lim Swee Say 13 July 1954 Colony of Singapore, British Empire |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Spouse |
Elaine Cheong Siew Boon
(m. 1981; died 2021) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Loughborough University Stanford University |
A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Buona Vista ward of Tanjong Pagar GRC between 1997 and 2001, Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC between 2001 and 2006, Holland–Bukit Timah GRC between 2006 and 2011, and the Bedok ward of East Coast GRC between 2011 and 2020.
Lim was appointed as a non-executive independent director in Singtel in 2021.[2]
Early life and career
editLim was educated at Catholic High School and National Junior College before graduating from Loughborough University in 1976 with a first class honours degree in electronics, computer and systems engineering under a scholarship conferred by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1973.
He subsequently went on to complete a master's degree in management at Stanford University in 1991.
Lim served as Chief Executive of the National Computer Board between 1986 and 1991, and later as chairman between 1994 and 1998.
He also served as Deputy Managing Director at the Economic Development Board (EDB) based in New York City between 1991 and 1993, and later as managing director between 1994 and 1996.
Political career
editLim made his political debut in the 1997 general election as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in Tanjong Pagar GRC, led by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and was elected in a walkover. He was on the PAP's team in Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC at the 2001 general election, and in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC at the 2006 general election, and was elected unopposed on both occasions. At the 2011 general election, Lim stood in East Coast GRC, where the PAP's team defeated the team from the opposition Workers' Party by 59,992 votes (54.8%) to 49,429 (45.2%).
Lim served as Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) from 1997 to 1999. He also served on the Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness from 1997 to 1998, and chaired its Sub-committee on Manpower Development.
In 1999, Lim was appointed as Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts.
Lim was made a member of the PAP's Central Executive Committee in 1999 and served as the chairman of the party's youth wing between 2000 and 2004.
Lim was made the Acting Minister for the Environment on 1 October 2000. He became a full minister of the Cabinet on 23 November 2001.
Minister in Prime Minister's Office (2004–2015)
editOn 12 August 2004, Lim was appointed a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. He also served as the Second Minister for National Development from 12 August 2004 to 29 May 2006.
In 2005, Lim became the Deputy Secretary-General of the NTUC for the second time (while continuing to serve concurrently as a Minister without portfolio in the Prime Minister's Office). In 2007, he was made the Secretary-General of the NTUC.
In 2014, Lim appeared on Singapore's Mediacorp Channel 8 episode "Hear Me Out", to respond to the criticisms against him and clarify himself on a few topics such as his Zorro costume, "Cheaper Better Faster", "Better, Betterer, Betterest", "Deaf Frog" and why Singapore implements Progressive Wage Model instead of minimum wage.
Minister for Manpower (2015–2018)
editOn 4 May 2015, Lim relinquished his post of Minister in Prime Minister's Office and NTUC secretary-general (in line with the NTUC's retirement policies) and was appointed the Minister for Manpower.[3]
Lim retired from the cabinet on 1 May 2018, with his Manpower portfolio succeeded to Josephine Teo.[4] On 5 May, Lim was awarded the Distinguished Comrade of Labour during the May Day Awards ceremony.[5]
Retirement from politics
editIn 2020, Lim announced that he would be retiring from politics, and not stand for the 2020 general election.[6]
Personal life
editLim married to Elaine Cheong Siew Boon (born 1952) in 1981, introduced by a mutual friend. The couple had one daughter and one son. Cheong died on 6 July 2021, after battling stage 4 cancer since 2017.[7][8]
He is a Roman Catholic and is an ethnic Singaporean Chinese of Teochew descent.
References
edit- ^ Lee, Edwin (2008). Singapore: The Unexpected Nation. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 524. ISBN 9812307966.
- ^ Wee, Rae (1 June 2021). "Singtel appoints ex-manpower minister Lim Swee Say as non-executive director". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ^ Labour chief Lim Swee Say to be Manpower Minister; Chan Chun Sing to be new labour chief Archived 14 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. The Straits Times, 8 April 2015.
- ^ "Cabinet reshuffle: Chan Chun Sing to lead MTI; Heng Swee Keat stays at MOF, Ong Ye Kung to head MOE". Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- ^ hermesauto (5 May 2018). "Top labour award for former Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say". Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
- ^ hermesauto (30 June 2020). "Singapore GE2020: Heng Swee Keat to helm East Coast GRC in election". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Lim Swee Say's wife Elaine Cheong Siew Boon passes away aged 69". 8 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "前部长林瑞生的夫人逝世" (in Chinese). 8 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
External links
edit- Lim Swee Say at cabinet.gov.sg
- Lim Swee Say at parliament.gov.sg