Lim Hng Kiang ( zh, s=林勋强, p=Lín Xūnqiáng, poj=Lîm Hng-kiâng, first=poj; born 9 April 1954)
is a Singaporean former politician who served as
Minister for Trade and Industry between 2004 and 2018,
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
A Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (, ''Sar BeMisrad Rosh HaMemshala'') is a minister and member of the Cabinet of Israel appointed by the Prime Minister of Israel to handle various issues on behalf of the Prime Minister.
Current and form ...
in 2003 and 2004,
Minister for Health
A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare spending and other social security services.
Some governments have separate ministers for mental heal ...
between 1999 and 2003 and
Minister for National Development between 1994 and 1999.
A member of the governing
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party (PAP) is a major Conservatism, conservative political party in Singapore and is the governing contemporary political party represented in the Parliament of Singapore, followed by the opposition Workers' Party of Singap ...
(PAP), he was the
Member of Parliament (MP) for the Telok Blangah division of
Tanjong Pagar GRC
The Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency is a five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in Central Region, Singapore, Central and West Region, Singapore, Western Singapore. The five divisions consists: Buona Vista, Telok Bl ...
between 1991 and 1997 and later
West Coast GRC
The West Coast Group Representation Constituency was a five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) located in the western and central areas of Singapore. The five divisions consisted of: Ayer Rajah-Gek Poh, West Coast, Boon Lay, Nanyang ...
between 1997 and 2020.
Education
Lim was educated in
Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution (RI) is an independent educational institution in Singapore. Founded in 1823, it is the oldest school in the country. It provides secondary education for boys only from Year 1 to Year 4, and pre-university education for both b ...
, before being awarded a
President's Scholar
A President's Scholar is a recipient of the academic scholarship awarded by the Government of Singapore annually, to pursue undergraduate education at a university, usually abroad. The scholarship is considered to be the most prestigious public ...
ship and
Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship
The SAF Scholarship, formerly known as the SAF Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS), is a scholarship conferred by the Public Service Commission (PSC). The scholarship is second in prestige to the President's Scholarship.
Scholars are groomed for the h ...
to study at the
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
, where he completed a degree in engineering in 1976. In 1985, Lim was awarded a scholarship to study for a
Master of Public Administration
A Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a specialized professional graduate degree in public administration that prepares students for leadership roles, similar or equivalent to a Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the ...
degree at the
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government, commonly referred to as Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), is the school of public policy of Harvard University, a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Harvard Kennedy School offers master's de ...
at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
.
Career
Lim began his career in the
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A component of the Ministry of Defence (Singapore), Ministry of D ...
(SAF) and left with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He later served as a deputy secretary at the
Ministry of National Development, and as the
chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization.
CEOs find roles in variou ...
(CEO) of the
Housing and Development Board
The Housing & Development Board (HDB; often referred to as the Housing Board; ; ; ), is a Statutory boards of the Singapore Government, statutory board under the Ministry of National Development (Singapore), Ministry of National Developmen ...
(HDB).
Lim was first elected to Parliament in 1991 as an MP for the
Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency
The Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency is a five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in Central and Western Singapore. The five divisions consists: Buona Vista, Telok Blangah, Moulmein-Cairnhill, Tanjong Pagar- Tiong ...
. Since 1997, he has represented the
West Coast Group Representation Constituency
The West Coast Group Representation Constituency was a five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) located in the West Region, Singapore, western and Central Region, Singapore, central areas of Singapore. The five divisions consisted of: ...
(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 many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
.
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
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the virus SARS-CoV-1, the first identified strain of the SARS-related coronavirus. The first known cases occurred in November 2002, and the sy ...
(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
Lee Hsien Loong (born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former military officer who served as the third Prime Minister of Singapore, prime minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2024, thereafter serving as a Senior Minister of S ...
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
Tan Tock Seng Hospital (abbreviation: TTSH) is a tertiary referral hospital in Singapore, located in Novena. Named after Tan Tock Seng, the hospital has 45 clinical and allied health departments, 16 specialist centres and is powered by more ...
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
Subramaniam Iswaran (; born 14 June 1962), commonly known as S. Iswaran, is an Indian-born Singaporean former politician who served as Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations between 2018 and 2024 and Minister for Transport between 2021 and 202 ...
.
Lim served as the deputy chairman of the
Monetary Authority of Singapore
The Monetary Authority of Singapore or (MAS), is the central bank and financial regulatory authority of Singapore. It administers the various statutes pertaining to money, banking, insurance, securities and the financial sector in general, as ...
(MAS) from 2006 until 2021 and is also a board director of the
Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
GIC Private Limited is a Singaporean sovereign wealth fund that manages the country's foreign reserves. Established by the Government of Singapore in 1981 as the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, from which the acronym "GIC" is ...
(GIC).
Lim stepped down from the cabinet on 30 April 2018
and appointed as special advisor to MTI.
During
2020 Singaporean general election
General elections were held in Singapore on Friday, 10 July 2020 to elect 93 members to the Parliament of Singapore across Constituencies of Singapore, 31 constituencies. Parliament was Dissolution of parliament, dissolved and the general elect ...
, Lim announced his retirement from politics.
Personal life
Lim has two sons. His wife, Lee Ai Boon, died of cancer on 12 April 2014.
Wife of trade & industry minister dies at 60
, channelnewsasia.com, 13 April 2014.
References
External links
*Ministry of Trade & Industry Official Website �
Arquivo.pt
*Lim Hng Kiang's profile as member of Singapore Parliament �
*MAS Annual Report 2007/2008 �
GIC - About Us - GIC Board of Directors
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lim, Hng Kiang
1954 births
Living people
Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge
Harvard Kennedy School alumni
Members of the Cabinet of Singapore
Singaporean politicians of Chinese descent
Members of the Parliament of Singapore
People's Action Party politicians
President's Scholars
Raffles Institution alumni
Singaporean people of Teochew descent
Ministers for health of Singapore
Ministers for trade and industry of Singapore