Lim Swee Say

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Lim Swee Say bigraphy, stories - Singaporean politician

Lim Swee Say : biography

July 13, 1954 –

Lim Swee Say ( born 13 July 1954) is a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People’s Action Party (PAP), he has been a Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office since 2004 and Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) since 2007. He previously served as the Minister for the Environment from 2001 to 2004. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1996.

Career

Lim served at Singapore’s National Computer Board as Chief Executive from 1986 to 1991, and as Chairman from 1994 to 1998. He also served at the Economic Development Board (EDB) as Deputy Managing Director based in New York City from 1991 to 1993, and as Managing Director from 1994 to 1996.

Political career

At the 1997 general election, Lim was a PAP candidate in the Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (Tanjong Pagar GRC), 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 a Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.

Lim was made the Acting Minister for the Environment in 2000. He became a full member of the Cabinet in 2001.

In 2004, Lim was appointed a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. He also served as the Second Minister for National Development from 2004 to 2005.

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.

Lim has been a member of the PAP’s Central Executive Committee since 1999, and served as the Chairman of the Young PAP (the party’s youth wing) from 2000 to 2004.

Education

Lim was educated in Catholic High School and National Junior College, before being awarded a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholarship in 1973 to study in the United Kingdom at Loughborough University. He graduated with first class honours in electronics, computer and systems engineering in 1976. In 1991, Lim completed a Master’s degree in Management at Stanford University.

Personal life

Lim is married to Elaine Cheong Siew Boon. The couple has one daughter and one son.