Lim Hng Kiang
Lim Hng Kiang (Chinese: 林勋强; pinyin: Lín Xūnqiáng; born 9 April 1954) is a retired Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was a Member of Parliament representing the Group Representation Cons*uencies (GRCs) of Tanjong Pagar (1991–1997) and West Coast (1997–2020). He also held positions in the Cabinet from 1994 to 2018, including Minister for National Development (1994–1999), Minister for Health (1999–2003), Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (2003–2004), and Minister for Trade and Industry (2004–2018).
Contents
- 1 Education
- 2 Career
- 3 Personal life
- 4 References
- 5 External links
Education
Lim was educated in Raffles Ins*ution, before being awarded a President's Scholarship and Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge, where he completed a degree in engineering in 1976. In 1985, Lim was awarded a scholarship to study for a Master of Public Administration degree at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Career
Lim began his career in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and left with rank of lieutenant-colonel. He later served as a deputy secretary at the Ministry of National Development, and as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Housing and Development Board (HDB).
Lim was first elected to Parliament in 1991 as an MP for the Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Cons*uency. Since 1997, he has represented the West Coast Group Representation Cons*uency (West Coast GRC).
Lim was appointed a Minister of State at the Ministry of National Development in 1991. In 1994, he became the Acting Minister for National Development and Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 1995, Lim became the Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 1998, he relinquished the role of Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and became the Second Minister for Finance.
In 1999, Lim became the Minister for Health. He also retained the portfolio of Second Minister for Finance.
During the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic that swept through the region. Many Singaporeans felt his initial handling of the crisis, citing his lack of leadership and indecisiveness, helped prolong the epidemic that eventually drove the economy into a recession. While then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said "SARS has significantly disrupted our economy. It has affected not only tourist spending but also domestic consumption... certainly our first half growth will be affected, and we will have to revise down our growth forecasts for the year." Others cited his calls to quarantine patients and to close and extend local school holidays were late in coming.
Many local residents also pointed to the administrators at Tan Tock Seng Hospital for mishandling and underestimating the severity of SARS. When "At least 85 percent of people infected by SARS in Singapore caught it while visiting or working at hospitals", said Osman David Mansoor at the WHO. "The remainder mostly came down with it at home through close contact with sick family members", he said.
In 2003, Lim was made a minister in the Prime Minister's Office. He retained the role of Second Minister for Finance.
Lim was made the Minister for Trade and Industry in 2004. He was subsequently put in charge of trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The ministry was split into two, with Lim taking the trade portfolio and the industry portfolio taken by S. Iswaran.
Lim served as the deputy chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) from 2006 until 2021 and is also a board director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).
Lim stepped down from the cabinet on 30 April 2018 and appointed as special advisor to MTI.
During 2020 Singaporean general election, Lim announced his retirement from politics.
Personal life
Lim has two sons. His wife, Lee Ai Boon, died of cancer on 12 April 2014.
References
External links
- Ministry of Trade & Industry Official Website – Arquivo.pt
- Lim Hng Kiang's profile as member of Singapore Parliament – AbtUs/OrgStr/Members of Parliament/LimHngKiang
- MAS Annual Report 2007/2008 – Monetary Authority of Singapore Annual Report 2007/08
- MAS: Board and Management
- GIC - About Us - GIC Board of Directors
NMPs do not belong to any party. There were two terms of NMPs in this parliament, with nine NMPs in each term.Other Current/Former MPs Nav Boxes1413121110The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the cons*uency he or she represents. PAP: People's Action Party; SPP: Singapore People's Party; WP: The Workers' Party
For NCMPs, Gerald Giam and Yee Jenn Jong are from the WP, while Lina Loh is from the SPP. NMPs do not belong to any party. There were two terms of NMPs in this parliament, with nine NMPs in each term.Other Current/Former MPs Nav Boxes1413121110The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the cons*uency he or she represents. PAP: People's Action Party; SDA: Singapore Democratic Alliance; 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.Other Current/Former MPs Nav Boxes1413121110