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The HonourableSylvia Lim
林瑞莲
Lim in 2021
10th Chair of the Workers' Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 June 2003
Vice-Chairman	Faisal Manap (since 2016)
Secretary-General	Low Thia Khiang (2001–2018) Pritam Singh (since 2018)
Preceded by	Tan Bin Seng
Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC (Paya Lebar)
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 July 2020
Preceded by	Chen Show Mao
Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC (Serangoon)
In office 7 May 2011 – 22 June 2020
Preceded by	Lim Hwee Hua
Succeeded by	Leon Perera
Non-Constituency Member of the 11th Parliament of Singapore
In office 11 May 2006 – 18 April 2011
Preceded by	Steve Chia
Succeeded by	Lina Chiam Yee Jenn Jong Gerald Giam
Personal details
Born	(1965-03-28) 28 March 1965 (age 59) Singapore
Political party	Workers' Party
Alma mater	National University of Singapore (LLB) University College London (LLM) Michigan State University (MS)
Occupation	Politician Lawyer Lecturer

Sylvia Lim Swee Lian (simplified Chinese: 林瑞莲; traditional Chinese: 林瑞蓮; pinyin: Lín Ruìlián; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Sūi-liân; born 28 March 1965) is a Singaporean politician, lawyer, former police officer and Temasek Polytechnic law lecturer who has been the chairperson of the Workers' Party (WP) since 2003. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), she had been Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Paya Lebar division of Aljunied GRC since 2020.

She had been a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament between 2006 and 2011 of the 11th Parliament of Singapore. She represented the Serangoon division of Aljunied GRC between 2011 and 2020.

Before entering politics, Lim had served in the Singapore Police Force and worked in Temasek Polytechnic as a law lecturer. One week after the 2011 general election, she announced that she would be resigning from her job at Temasek Polytechnic after 12 years of service by what she anticipated to be an increased workload after being elected as part of the Workers' Party team for Aljunied GRC. During the same year, Lim also re-entered the legal sector. She is currently counsel at Peter Low Chambers LLC.

Education

Lim attended CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel, CHIJ St. Joseph's Convent and National Junior College before graduating from the National University of Singapore in 1988 with a Bachelor of Laws degree with honours. She went on complete a Master of Laws at the University College London in 1989, and was called to the bar in Singapore in 1991. She later completed a master's degree in criminal justice from the Michigan State University in 2014, online.

During her undergraduate and postgraduate studies, Lim did volunteer work with the Spastic Children's Association, Salvation Army Home for the Aged and University College Hospital. She later did voluntary editorial work for the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme of the Law Society of Singapore.

Career

In 1991, Lim joined the Singapore Police Force for three years as a police inspector. She initially did investigation work at the Central Police Division Headquarters, and then became a staff officer under the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department.

Lim joined the law firm M/s Lim & Lim in 1994. She handled litigation work both civil and criminal cases in the High Court, Subordinate Courts and Juvenile Court between 1994 and 1998.

Lim joined Temasek Polytechnic in 1998 as a law lecturer. She was also the Manager of Professional Development and Manager of Continuing Education and Training at the polytechnic's School of Business. Her main areas of teaching and research were in civil and criminal procedure, criminal justice and private security. During her time at Temasek Polytechnic, Lim contributed to the volume on Criminal Procedure for Halsbury's Laws of Singapore (2003), a legal practitioners' reference series, and has also collected and published primary research on private security in Singapore.

In March 2006, Temasek Polytechnic modified its staffing policies to enable Lim to run as a candidate in the general election without having to resign her teaching position at the institution.

Political career

Lim was cited as feeling "distressed" that opposition parties could contest only one-third of the parliamentary seats during the 2001 general election. Ten days after the election, she joined the Workers' Party (WP) and within 18 months quickly rose to become the chairwoman of the party in 2003.

2006 general election

At the 2006 general election, Lim led the five-member Worker's Party team to contest the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (Aljunied GRC), campaigning on the slogan "You have a Choice". Means testing in hospitals, as well as the James Gomez fiasco became hot button issues during the election campaign.

The WP team ultimately lost to the team from the governing People's Action Party (PAP) by 58,593 votes (43.9%) to 74,843 (56.1%). This was the highest percentage of the vote garnered by any losing opposition candidates in the election, and therefore meant that the WP was entitled to select one of its team members from Aljunied GRC to become a Non-constituency Member of Parliament. The party chose Lim to become its Non-constituency Member of Parliament.

NCMP term: 2006–2011

During her term in Parliament, Lim spoke out against ministers' salaries, and also against means testing in hospitals, which resulted in the PAP deferring a decision on this for a period of two years from 2006 to 2008. In addition, she also called for a reduction in the Goods and Services Tax, arguing that it was a regressive tax, and urged the government to do more to help retrenched workers.

In 2009, Parliament debated the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill which would permit an organ donor to receive a reasonable amount of payment as a reimbursement for medical checks, insurance and other medical expenses, and loss of income. Lim spoke of her worry that the bill might lead to a backdoor organ trading and profiteering.

In 2010, Lim mooted the idea that the proportion of each Primary 1 cohort that would be seeking a university education should be increased beyond the 30% by 2015 that the Government was planning. She noted that in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries in 2006 about 37% of each age cohort received a degree-level education, and that a sizeable number of Singaporean students who failed to gain entry into local universities had done well in reputable universities overseas. She also suggested giving concessionary fares to disabled individuals who make up 2% of the adult population under 60 years.

Lim expressed concerns about a proposed constitutional amendment introduced in April 2010 that would allow magistrates to hear what are called "first mentions" through video conferencing. A first mention is a hearing that must be held within 48 hours of a person's arrest. She felt it failed to adequately assure accused people that they were allowed to complain to magistrates about injuries they had sustained or acts of misfeasance against them by the authorities. In response, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng assured MPs that processes would be in place to ensure that accused people are treated fairly. For example, during a video conference, an accused person will be alone in a room with no police officer, and will be able to see what is happening in the entire courtroom. Secondly, the screen that will be used by the judge is large enough to enable him or her to clearly see whether the accused is under duress. Finally, accused people who have been mistreated can either complain to the police or to the judge when they are later present in court.

The following month, during parliamentary debates on major revisions to the Criminal Procedure Code, Lim suggested there was a need to improve pre-trial disclosure procedures and to ensure that victims of crimes received redress. Further, she expressed concerns over the leniency of community-based sentencing. The bill eventually incorporated several of her suggestions.

In 2011, Lim noted that the Compulsory Education Act ensures that all children have the opportunity to receive an education. However, she expressed concern that processes for entry to schools for children with special needs were cumbersome. Furthermore, education for children with special needs was not subject to the same subsidies that students in mainstream schools had. She thus brought to the House's attention the fact that special needs children might have been unintentionally marginalized. These concerns were supported by Penny Low, MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC.

2011 general election

In the 2011 general election, Lim again contested in five-member team along with Pritam Singh, Chen Show Mao, Low Thia Khiang and Muhamad Faisal Manap in Aljunied GRC. Lim and her party campaigned on the slogan "Towards a First World Parliament", which entailed maintaining checks and balances in Parliament to keep the ruling party accountable to the public, and for opposition parties to gain experience in policy formulation and constituency work. In her final election rally speech, Lim emphasised that contrary to the public's perception, there was "no glamour" in being an opposition MP, and that she was only "fighting to serve". In a televised political broadcast on cooling-off day, Lim warned the public that "there is a very real danger of an 87 to nil score ... and if that happens, Singapore's political landscape will suffer a tremendous setback from which we may never recover."

Lim was returned as an elected Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC after her team won 54.71% of the votes (54.72% including overseas votes), the first time that an opposition party won a GRC since the system's introduction on 1 June 1988. In addition, the defeat of the incumbent PAP team marked the first time in Singapore's electoral history that a serving cabinet minister lost his seat.

She has been assigned to look after the Serangoon ward previously held by the PAP's Lim Hwee Hua and has also been appointed Chairman of the combined Aljunied–Hougang Town Council. Lim's victory also made her the first female opposition MP in Singapore's post-independence history.

First term: 2011 – 2015

Gross National Happiness

In her maiden speech as an opposition MP in October 2011, Lim urged the government to adopt a more holistic approach in assessing the well-being of Singaporeans, which included using Gross National Happiness (GNH) as an indicator apart from conventional indicators such as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Lim further noted in her speech that Singapore was a co-sponsor of Bhutan's resolution in the United Nations entitled Happiness: Towards a holistic approach to development. Lim's speech drew swift rebuttals from MPs of the ruling People's Action Party, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who suggested later in 2014 that it was impractical "to switch to a different metric – from GDP to GNH". Lim replied that "the search for alternative indicators other than GDP is highly relevant ... GNH is not merely about measuring an emotion. It is about measuring societal progress in a holistic way".

Woffles Wu case

In 2012, Lim engaged in a heated debate with Law Minister K Shanmugam where she questioned if the judgement published by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) with regards to the Woffles Wu speeding case had addressed public concerns on the equitability of Singapore's legal system. Wu was fined S$1,000 in June 2012 under section 81(3) of the Road Traffic Act. Lim questioned why a custodial sentence was not imposed, noting that "aggravating factors" such as Wu abetting someone to provide false information to the police, and that he had committed more than one offence over a prolonged period would have warranted a harsher sentence. Shanmugam insisted that the treatment of the law applied in Wu's case was in line with prior cases of a similar nature, and challenged Lim repeatedly to name "a single case" in which a custodial sentence was imposed on cases with such a nature.

The sharp exchange between Lim and the Minister led to WP chief Low Thia Khiang intervening to question if Shanmugam was trying to "impose some sort of intimidation" on Lim. The debate also led to Lim requesting the Minister to "confirm whether he's questioning my motive in filing the question? ... Is he alleging bad faith on my part to cast aspersions on the legal system?", to which Shanmugam replied, "MPs should leave politics aside and look at the facts if we want to be honest and fair. It's got nothing to do with intimidation."

Population White Paper

Lim also spoke out against the Population White Paper, contending that the government's strategy of using immigration to "top up" for the shortfall in Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) "will further dilute national identity" and place Singapore on course in requiring "even more population injections in the future". She added that the government's attempts to encourage childbirths have been "half-hearted". Lim and her party proposed a greater tradeoff between GDP growth and population numbers, as well as new initiatives to encourage TFR recovery.

Action Information Management (AIM) saga

The AIM saga, which involved the termination of town council IT software owned by the PAP in the event of a "material change" in the leadership of a town, became a much talked about issue in the lead up to the Punggol East by-election in 2013. Lim contended that a "material change" was taken to mean a "change in political leadership" as in Aljunied GRC, and questioned how the public interest was served with the presence of such a termination clause. This led to Lim filing an adjournment motion in Parliament titled Safeguarding the Public Interest in Town Council Management, which she withdrew after the government announced it will conduct a review on the issue. Then Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan accused Lim of being "self-righteous" and "arrogant", in which Lim replied she "definitely does not accept his ascription of those motives to me personally". The WP won the by-election in Punggol East.

Little India riot

Lim opposed the Public Order (Additional Temporary Measures) Bill in the aftermath of the 2013 Little India riot, characterising the "hasty introduction" of the bill as a "knee-jerk reaction" by the government. She noted that the bill would in effect "stigmatise Little India as a special zone requiring special legislation" and that "there are already sufficient powers under our laws" with the Committee of Inquiry (COI) set to release its recommendations soon. Lim further expressed concerns with regards to newly imposed liquor control regulations, as well as policing resources and manpower required to handle such occurrences.

Promoting social mobility

Lim also advocated for a more progressive tax system and strengthening of social safety nets to mitigate inequality, which included tweaking the income tax tiers for high income earners and fixing loopholes in the property tax measures.

Lim expressed support for the Pioneer Generation Package rolled out by the government in 2014, but raised concerns with regards to the MediShield Life scheme, particularly for Singaporeans who are already on private medical insurance or those living abroad.

2015 general election

Less than a month before election day on 12 August 2015, Lim set up her Instagram account with the first post showing a photo of herself eating oyster omelette at Fengshan Hawker Centre. The accompanying caption read "The taste of Fengshan – heavenly!" and a cryptic hashtag "#ReasonsToWin". A media frenzy and large public reaction ensued, with rumours circulating that Lim was considering a move to contest the election in Fengshan SMC. Alluding to the financial problems of the WP-run Aljunied–Hougang-Punggol East Town Council, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean joined in the fray, criticising Lim for wanting to "swallow up Fengshan" and "help the town council with the deficit". Lim later replied that it was "unfortunate" that Teo "does not seem to have a sense of humour".

In the 2015 Singaporean general election, Lim defended her Aljunied GRC ward against a new PAP team led by Yeo Guat Kwang. Campaigning on the platform "Empower Your Future", the vote numbers came down to the wire and a recount had to be conducted as the margin was less than 2%. At 03:10 AM SST on 12 September 2015, Lim and her team was returned to Parliament with a reduced majority of 50.96%.

Speaking to the media just hours after the election results on the sidelines of a thank you parade, Lim questioned if "voters don't want too much opposition in Parliament". She added that the fact that all 89 seats were contested by the opposition might also have resulted in some pushback, where voters were worried "sooner or later the PAP might be dislodged as a government". The feel-good factor of the SG50 golden jubilee celebrations, memory of the late Lee Kuan Yew who died in the same year and the unstable economic environment were also some other factors Lim cited for the results swinging in favour of the ruling party.

Second term: 2016 – present

Singapore's 13th Parliament opened on 25 January 2016 following the elections in 2015. In her Parliamentary speech to President Tony Tan Keng Yam's addenda, Lim called for fundamental changes to Singapore's education system and how students are assessed, as well as scaling back the government's presence in non-core government functions such as in the boards of sports groups so as to allow such organisations to "manage their own affairs". Lim further noted that "an exceptional nation should have a people whose DNA is being unafraid to fail".

Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill

In a sharp exchange with Law Minister K Shanmugam which lasted seven hours, Lim and her party colleagues voiced strong objections to the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill which deals with the law of contempt of court. Lim argued that the bill was "being bulldozed through Parliament" and "unnecessarily lower the threshold to what amounts to scandalising the courts". She added that the bill provides "draconian enforcement muscle" to the government, with the Minister using "a sledgehammer to kill an ant ... we are one step closer to being a police state". Lim ended her speech as such,

By all means, uphold respect for the administration of justice. But laws which protect the ruling elites at the expense of ordinary Singaporeans have no place in this House.

Government Proceedings Act

While Lim supported the Government Proceedings Act, she argued against one of the act's clauses which removes the limit to the amount of legal fees the government can be awarded if and when it goes to court. Lim expressed "grave concerns" about the bill, saying that the bill will give the public the impression that the government is "using legal costs as a deterrent or prohibitive factor when it comes to litigation with the government".

Oxley Road dispute

Speaking during the 2-day special Parliamentary session on the 38 Oxley Road dispute, Lim noted that allegations of abuse of power mounted on PM Lee Hsien Loong by his siblings Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee Wei Ling were "serious charges" and "deeply troubling". Focusing her speech on potential conflicts of interest, Lim revealed that Singapore's current Attorney-General (AG) Lucien Wong represented the PM as his personal lawyer in the dispute involving the house. The Deputy AG, Hri Kumar, was also an ex-PAP MP. Lim questioned if the leadership of the Attorney-General's Chambers had "recused themselves in advising the Government on any decision it wishes to take on 38 Oxley Road", and "whether these appointments instill public confidence that the AGC will act independently in matters where the Government or Prime Minister has an interest in the outcomes". In an ensuing debate with Senior Minister of State for Law Indranee Rajah, Lim further questioned if the Cabinet agrees that there should be "distance between the Government and the AGC leadership", to which Rajah disagreed and replied that "independence of mind" was the crucial factor.

Debate on Presidential Elections Act (Amendment) Bill 2017

Lim has opposed the elected presidency, advocating for the president to be an appointed one instead. Lim argued that a president "elected under a PAP government might be pro-PAP and could potentially cripple a non-PAP government in its first term". In a debate with Law Minister K Shanmugam in November 2016, Lim also disagreed on the "dual role" expected of the elected president – being a custodian of reserves as well as being a head of state – as this might lead to the president being faced with a confrontational situation with the government.

Lim has suggested since 2006 that a reversion back to the system where the president is appointed by Parliament would "naturally take care of any concerns of minority representation and would not be regressive". Lim further called for a national referendum for Singaporeans to decide whether the public preferred an elected or appointed president. Lim therefore voted against the constitutional amendments on the Presidential Elections Act in February 2017, which would provide for a reserved election if and when an individual from a minority race has not been president for five consecutive terms. She took issue with the government's decision to use Wee Kim Wee's presidential term as the basis of starting the count for the hiatus triggered mechanism, arguing that Wee was never elected by the people.

I have been reflecting on the decision to use President Wee as the reference point. I realised that this decision to count from President Wee was not a matter of getting legal advice to interpret any existing laws. If one looks at this Bill and the Schedule, the government is asking Parliament to simply make it the law that President Wee is the first one to be counted.

Why not count from the first elected President, Mr Ong Teng Cheong? Is it because if President Ong was the first one to be counted, we would have to go through this year’s elections as an open election, and risk a contest by Chinese or Indian candidates who may not be to the government’s liking? Isn’t the decision to count from President Wee an arbitrary and deliberate decision of the government, to achieve a desired outcome?

Alluding to Lim's accusations, Minister Chan Chun Sing charged that Lim was "casting aspersions on the integrity of the Prime Minister", while DPM Teo Chee Hean said the decision was "based on AGC's advice" and asked Lim to mount a judicial challenge in the courts if she disagreed. This subsequently led to former presidential candidate and ex-PAP MP Tan Cheng Bock filing a suit in the High Court on whether the government's decision to start the count from President Wee was correct and in accordance with the constitution. Tan's case was dismissed and thrown out by the High Court and Court of Appeal, with the court ruling that it was entirely up to the government to decide when to start the count for the hiatus triggered mechanism. Lim was personally present in the Court of Appeal to hear the judgement.

The writ of election for Presidential Elections 2017 was issued soon after on 28 August 2017. On the same day, Lim filed an adjournment motion titled "Counting from President Wee Kim Wee or President Ong Teng Cheong – policy decision or legal question?" for the parliamentary sitting on 11 September 2017. Her adjournment motion was subsequently balloted out twice as other PAP MPs had also filed adjournment motions, rendering her unable to speak on the issue.

Lim delivered her speech on the adjournment motion on 3 October 2017, after two unsuccessful attempts. In a strongly-worded 18-minute speech, Lim stated on the outset that the "public was very divided" on the implementation of reserved presidential elections. She accused the government — particularly PM Lee, DPM Teo, and Minister Chan — of attempting to "confuse and distract", and misleading Parliament by "merely using the AGC's advice as a cover to avoid full Parliamentary debate on why the count was not starting from President Ong Teng Cheong". In his reply, Law Minister Shanmugam rejected Lim's assertions that the government was attempting to mislead, saying that the "government has always been clear that when it comes to the counting, it is a policy matter for Parliament to decide". He also took a swipe at Lim and berated, "Ms Lim protests far too much."

Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act

In opposing the renewal of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (CLTPA) on 6 February 2018, Lim questioned the premature renewal of the bill and said that the government had "gone too far" with the additional provisions, charging that the addition of a finality clause in the act to make the Minister's decision on whether to detain someone without trial final was an “attempt to make the Minister (for Home Affairs) all-powerful”. Lim added that she found the addition of the finality clause "very troubling" and "a position too arrogant for the House to adopt".

Lim also took issue with the amendments to the fourth schedule, which now defines the scope of criminal activities in which one may be detained under the CLTPA. Lim branded the bill "untenable" and accused the Minister of attempting to be "a global policeman with no equal in the world" after it was revealed that individuals who commit criminal activities outside Singapore may now be detained under the CLTPA as well, as in the case of Dan Tan.

A highly charged exchange between Lim and Minister Shanmugam broke out thereafter, with the Minister rebutting to say he was "prepared to stand up here and say as the Law and Home Affairs Minister that there is no intention to oust judicial review". Shanmugam described Lim's use of the phrase "global policeman" as "rhetorical flourish", and further accused Lim of making speeches that "made for a good reading on her website" but were purely "theatrics with no substance, calculated to mislead".

If what the Minister is saying is correct – that the clause is not meant to change anything – then why introduce it at all? Why not leave it at status quo, instead of causing confusion and possible problems down the road about what this (finality) clause is meant to cover?

Lim rose to ask that a division be recorded at the second and third readings of the Bill. The bill to amend the act was ultimately passed with 77 ayes, 10 noes and 2 abstentions after a 4-hour debate. Eight of the WP elected MPs and NCMPs, as well as NMPs Kok Heng Leun and Azmoon Ahmad voted against the renewal of the CLTPA.

Budget 2018

Addressing Parliament on the second day of the Financial Budget debate on 28 February 2018, Lim focused her speech on addressing social and economic inequality and how it posed a threat to Singapore's solidarity. Lim also questioned if the Government had commissioned independent studies on social mobility using longitudinal data.

Many of our lower-income residents work hard and even (hold) two jobs, but may still be unable to pay their bills ... Does our education system penalise those who did not have a leg up in pre-school? Do housing policies unjustly discriminate against those whose marriages failed? How have children been impacted by their parents' circumstances and were they supported or facilitated to break out of the poverty trap?

On 1 March 2018, Lim also pointed out that the Government had earlier floated "test balloons" on a possible GST hike but the public noted a contradiction with Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam's earlier statements that the Government already had enough money for the decade. This was, in Lim's view, a possible factor that led to the tax hike of two percentage points to 9% taking place only sometime between 2021 and 2025 instead of immediately. She said, "I rather suspect myself that the Government is stuck with that announcement otherwise... perhaps we would be debating a GST hike today."

Law Minister K Shanmugam and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat rejected Lim's suspicion and demanded that Lim withdraw her statements. In particular, Shanmugam said that Lim had implied that the government was being dishonest by backing down on its plans, which was a "thoroughly hypocritical and dishonest statement typical of the statements she makes in this House".

In a fiery exchange which saw Shanmugam and Lim responding and talk over each other, Lim refused to retract her statements and defended her views as her "honest suspicion". Lim fired back, "The Government can rebut our speeches robustly, that's fine, but I don't think I'm disentitled to come to Parliament to advance honestly held beliefs or suspicions". The debate got so heated that Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin had to interject and remind MPs to respond only when their names were called.

Many online commentators on Channel NewsAsia's Facebook page, citing the presence of parliamentary privilege and the fact that it was an elected MP's duty to voice out the concerns of the public, were largely unconvinced by Shanmugam's accusations and saw no issue with Lim's statement. They also pointed out that Shanmugam seemed to have a personal discontent with Lim, judging from the numerous occasions in which both had clashed in Parliament. Lim highlighted this in Parliament in a statement during clarification time, “I can understand why he wants to accuse me of various things because he probably was not happy about past debates where I had disagreed with some of his legislative changes and in typical fashion, he always accuses me of dishonesty when as far as I am concerned I’ve acted honestly.”

The debate continued into the following day, with Heng demanding that Lim apologise to the House "as an honourable MP should" for her statements, and Shanmugam posting on Facebook with an edited video charging that Lim had "made serious, baseless insinuations".

Speaking at the start of the Parliamentary sitting on 6 March 2018, Leader of the House and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu demanded that Lim apologise to the House by 8 March 2018 and to withdraw her "allegation" that the Government had floated “test balloons” on the need to raise the GST. Fu had said Lim "cannot contend that her suspicion remains reasonable and honestly held" when clarification has been given to her by ministers in Parliament and elsewhere. Lim was not present in the chamber when Fu made her statement.

Lim responded to the issue in Parliament on 8 March 2018. In her 6-minute statement, Lim said she could accept her suspicion “may not have been correct”, but strongly rejected the government's accusation that her suspicion on the timing of the GST hike had no basis, and set out in detail a chronology of events including news reports and data published by economists which led to her to believe the GST might be raised in 2018. According to States Times Review, over 20 news reports of impending GST hike have been published by government-owned news media companies during the period of three months prior to Budget 2018 while the government ministries themselves maintained totally silent on the issue, thereby forming the basis of test balloons used in Lim's analogy. Lim reiterated that the public was worried about the impending GST hike, and she was not accusing the government of dishonesty.

I do not accept the over-characterisation the PAP MPs have put on my words and intentions, based on their own interpretation borne out of overactive imaginations and over sensitivity.

Lim therefore stated plainly that she was not going to offer any apology and will not retract any of her statements as she believed she was doing her “constitutional role” as an elected MP to “convey ground concerns, reactions and confusion".

In an ensuing robust exchange, Fu expressed “disappointment” and condemned Lim for her “low standards, lack of integrity … dishonourable and deplorable conduct” and threatened to refer the matter to the Committee of Privileges should Lim repeat statements of such a nature.

Lim rose again to respond strongly against Fu's charges by quoting a part of Prime Minister Lee's closing speech during the 38 Oxley Road saga, "If MPs believe that something is wrong, it's MPs' job to pursue the facts and make these allegations in their own name, decide whether something seems to be wrong. And if you think something is wrong, even if you're not fully sure, then come to this House, confront the Government, ask for explanations and answers." Lim requested Fu to clarify if there was a “difference in standard here – One standard when the PM’s name needs to be cleared, and another standard when we are talking about raising taxes on the people?”

Finance Minister Heng pressed Lim for the “basis for her suspicions”. Lim responded by taking a dig at Heng, “I don’t think the Finance Minister was listening to my speech.”

After the parliamentary debate having ended, various members of the PAP leadership continued to criticised Lim. Indranee Rajah took to Facebook to describe Lim's conduct as "not honourable", while Chee Hong Tat wrote in a letter on PAP's website alleging that Lim would use the GST hike issue to attack the ruling party in the next general election. The continued attacks on Lim, however, were met with much public criticism and cynicism on how "small-minded" Singapore's leaders were. It was also revealed that the PAP government had sought the AGC's advice on whether Lim had breached parliamentary privilege after failing to get her to retract her statement and apologise.

Former PAP MP Tan Cheng Bock also weighed in on the issue, voicing out on how the ministers were "brow-beating" Lim to extract an apology from her. He said, "Instead of getting upset, the Ministers should be thankful Sylvia Lim gave them an opportunity to explain. If the government’s position is ‘no’ then just say no and let's just stop at that. No need to get defensive." The debate led to numerous Singaporeans breaking out in satire and coming up with various ridiculous reasons for one’s demand of an apology.

2020 general election

Lim was in a five-member Worker's Party team and contested in Aljunied GRC with Pritam Singh, Gerald Giam, Leon Perera and Muhamad Faisal Manap and retained back the GRC with 59.95% of the votes in 2020 general election.

Current appointments

Lim's current appointments are as follows:

• Chairman, Workers' Party of Singapore
• Co-Chairman, Aljunied Constituency Committee (AJCC)

Personal life

Lim's father, Lim Choon Mong, worked in the police force before quitting to study law in London and qualified as a practicing lawyer at age 39. In an interview with The Straits Times in 2013, Lim said much of her early political education were received in large part from her father. Her father died in August 2017. Lim's mother was a nurse.

Lim is a Catholic. While speaking at the CANA Catholic Centre Talk of the Town event in 2014, Lim said she tries "to read the bible everyday" but prefers to keep her faith private, adding that it is "not my nature to evangelise" as others may already have their own religion in which they take comfort in.

Lim has been in a relationship with former national football player, Quah Kim Song since 2013, and would be married together in January 2025.

References

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12. "NCMP Sylvia Lim on Budget 2008 and GST hike". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
13. "NCMP Sylvia Lim suggested GST cut and helping retrenched". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
14. Sylvia Lim (NCMP), speech during the Second Reading of the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill, Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (24 March 2009), vol. 85, col. 3524ff.
15. Sylvia Lim (NCMP), "Head K – Ministry of Education", Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (10 March 2010), vol. 86, col. 3709ff.
16. Sylvia Lim (NCMP), "Head W – Ministry of Transport", Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (11 March 2010), vol. 86, col. 3978ff.
17. Eventually enacted as the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Act 2010 (), archived from the original on 7 April 2017.
18. The Singapore Constitution, Art. 9(4), now states: "Where a person is arrested and not released, he shall, without unreasonable delay, and in any case within 48 hours (excluding the time of any necessary journey), be produced before a Magistrate, in person or by way of video-conferencing link (or other similar technology) in accordance with law, and shall not be further detained in custody without the Magistrate's authority." Prior to 26 April 2010, the reference to video conferencing was not present in the provision. See also the Criminal Procedure Code (Cap. 68, 2012 Rev. Ed.), s. 68: "(1) No police officer shall detain in custody a person who has been arrested without a warrant for a longer period than under all the circumstances of the case is reasonable. (2) Such period shall not exceed 48 hours exclusive of the time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the Magistrate's Court."
19. Sylvia Lim (NCMP), speech during the Second Reading of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill, Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (26 April 2010), vol. 87, cols. 53ff.
20. Wong Kan Seng (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs), speech during the Second Reading of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill, Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (26 April 2010), vol. 87, cols. 53ff.
21. Enacted as the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 (No. 15 of 2010) (now Cap. 68, 2012 Rev. Ed.).
22. Sylvia Lim (NCMP), "Criminal Procedure Code", Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (18 May 2010), vol. 87, col. 407ff.
23. K. Shanmugam (Minister for Law), speech during the Second Reading of the Criminal Procedure Code Bill, Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (19 May 2010), vol. 87, cols. 487–488.
24. Compulsory Education Act (Cap. 51, 2001 Rev. Ed.).
25. Sylvia Lim (NCMP), "Head K – Ministry of Education", Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (7 March 2011), vol. 87, no column numbers assigned yet.
26. Penny Low (Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC), "Head K – Ministry of Education", Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Official Report (7 March 2011), vol. 87, no column numbers assigned yet.
27. "WP's Sylvia Lim at Aljunied GRC rally, 5 May| TODAY". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
28. "Singapore 2nd Party Political Broadcast 2011 : WP – Pt5/7 – 06May2011 [HD]| Channel NewsAsia". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
29. "General Election 2011 - GRCs 2011". 23 March 2012. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
30. Team, The Must Share News (4 September 2015). "8 Groundbreaking Singaporean Politicians Who Happen To Be Women". Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
31. "Workers Party MP Sylvia Lim Parliament speech| YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
32. "Sylvia Lim, Lee Hsien Loong debate Happiness gauge – 28May2014 | YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
33. "Sylvia Lim, Shanmugam clash in Parliament over equitability of Spore's legal system | YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
34. "Mr Shanmugam, Ms Sylvia Lim debate Woffles Wu's case". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
35. "Shanmugam spars with Sylvia Lim over Woffles in Parliament". www.asiaone.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
36. "Sylvia Lim: Workers' Party opposes Population White Paper | Channel NewsAsia". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
37. "WP opposes Population White Paper, says its chairman Sylvia Lim". The Straits Times. 4 February 2013. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
38. "AIM saga". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
39. "WP withdraws motion to debate town council issue in Parliament | AsiaOne". Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
40. "Taking aim at each other | AsiaOne". Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
41. "Sylvia Lim: Little India Riot (Public Order Bill) a knee-jerk reaction | Channel NewsAsia". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
42. "Sylvia Lim, Teo Chee Hean debate Little India Riot COI (Part 1) | Channel NewsAsia". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
43. "Room for even more progressive tax system: Sylvia Lim | AsiaOne". Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
44. "How to make Pioneer Generation Package better | AsiaOne". Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
45. "WP chairman Sylvia Lim's first Instagram post – from Fengshan". TODAY. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
46. "Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim's orh luak meal in Fengshan feeds rumours". The Straits Times. 14 August 2015. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
47. "Vote for a party whom you trust to manage your money and town council: DPM Teo". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
48. "Sylvia Lim on DPM Teo's Fengshan comments". The New Paper. 16 August 2015. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
49. "GE2015: Recount underway for Aljunied GRC". The Straits Times. 12 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
50. "Pushback against growing Opposition movement a factor in PAP vote swing: Sylvia Lim". TODAY. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
51. "Exceptional Nation – An Empowered Nation". The Workers' Party. 25 January 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
52. "Marathon debate over Bill defining contempt of court". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
53. "Law on contempt remains largely the same: Shanmugam". The Straits Times. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
54. "MPs raise concerns over lower bar for scandalising the court". The Straits Times. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
55. "WP takes issue with tweak to Govt Proceedings Act". Channel NewsAsia. 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
56. "Potential conflict of interest of AGC a matter of concern: Sylvia Lim". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
57. "Oxley Road: Attorney-General and his deputy's appointments represent conflict of interest, says Sylvia Lim". The Straits Times. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
58. "Sylvia Lim VS Indranee Rajah on 38 Oxley Road dispute – 03July2017". YouTube. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
59. ^ "Parliament: WP calls for national referendum on future of elected presidency". The Straits Times. 8 November 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
60. "Sylvia Lim & Shanmugam battle it out on Elected Presidency scheme". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
61. "Chan Chun Sing dodges Sylvia Lim's question in Parliament". YouTube. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
62. "Teo Chee Hean & Chan Chun Sing vs Sylvia Lim & Leon Perera: Elected Presidency Debate (PE2017)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
63. "Sylvia Lim VS Teo Chee Hean on Presidential Elections Act 2017". YouTube. Archived from the original on 1 September 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
64. "Court of Appeal verdict". Tan Cheng Bock Facebook. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
65. "Tan Cheng Bock's appeal over upcoming Presidential Election dismissed". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
66. "Full speeches given by Sylvia Lim & K Shanmugam on the reserved presidential election". Mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
67. "Presidential Election 2017 Writ issued: Nomination Day on Sept 13, Polling on Sept 23". The Straits Times. 28 August 2017. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
68. "WP's Sylvia Lim files adjournment motion on reserved election for Sept 11 Parliament sitting". The Straits Times. 28 August 2017. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
69. "WP 'balloted out' in move to speak on reserved election". The Straits Times. 7 September 2017. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
70. "Sylvia Lim to speak on Presidential Election at Oct 3 Parliament sitting". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
71. "Misleading impression on EP decision: Sylvia Lim". The Straits Times. 4 October 2017. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
72. "Count for reserved Presidential Election was policy decision: Shanmugam". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
73. "Parliament: Workers' Party opposes Bill to amend criminal detention law, calls changes unnecessary, troubling and premature". The Straits Times. 6 February 2018. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
74. "Government 'has gone too far' with Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act: WP". CNA. Archived from the original on 12 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
75. "Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Bill – Speech by Sylvia Lim". 6 February 2018. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
76. "Sylvia Lim and Shanmugam cross swords over "untenable" bill that allows for detentions without trial – The Independent News". 7 February 2018. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
77. "Shanmugam labels WP's arguments on detention law as 'theatrics with no substance, calculated to mislead'". The Straits Times. 7 February 2018. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
78. "The Workers' Party on Facebook Watch". Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2018 – via www.facebook.com.
79. "Inequality a threat to Singapore's solidarity; needs to be looked into: Sylvia Lim". CNA. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
80. "Parliament: Long-term study on social inequality needed, says WP's Sylvia Lim". The Straits Times. 28 February 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
81. "Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat asks if Sylvia Lim will withdraw 'test balloon' allegation on GST hike timing". CNA. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
82. "Parliament: Shanmugam calls Sylvia Lim dishonest, Lim says she is entitled to make GST trial balloon comment". The Straits Times. 1 March 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
83. "Exchanges between Min Shanmugam, MP Sylvia Lim & Min Heng at 2018 Budget Debate". YouTube. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
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85. "Online commenters rally against Shanmugam's behaviour against Sylvia Lim". 3 March 2018. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
86. ""In typical fashion, Law Minister always accuses me of dishonesty": Sylvia Lim hits back at Shanmugam – The Independent News". 3 March 2018. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
87. "Heng Swee Keat presses WP's Sylvia Lim to withdraw GST-hike allegation". TODAYonline. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
88. "Debate in Parliament – Exposing the Dishonesty". Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020 – via www.facebook.com.
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92. "Ministers caught lying: Here are the "test balloons" | States Times Review". Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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94. "Parliament: WP's Sylvia Lim says GST timing suspicions 'may have been wrong' but does not apologise; Grace Fu expresses disappointment". The Straits Times. 8 March 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
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101. "This story about chicken rice prices sounds oddly like something else that happened in S'pore". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
102. "WP's Sylvia Lim pens loving tribute to her late father, who used to brief Lee Kuan Yew in army camps". Mothership. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
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104. "Workers' Party chair Sylvia Lim to marry long-time partner Quah Kim Song in January". CNA. Retrieved 22 October 2024.

External links

• Sylvia Lim on Parliament of Singapore

Member of multiple Parliaments of Singapore

v t e Members of the 14th Parliament of Singapore Speaker: Tan, C J→Seah, K P Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) Aljunied Giam, Y S Lim, S L Faisal Perera Singh Ang Mo Kio David Gan, T P Lee, H L Nadia Ng, L L Bishan–Toa Payoh Chee, H T Chong, K H Ng, E H Saktiandi Chua Chu Kang Gan, K Y Low, Y L Wee, B H Zhulkarnain East Coast Chan, W L Heng, S K Maliki Tan, K H Tan, S N Holland–Bukit Timah Chia, B H de Souza Sim, A Vivian Jalan Besar Heng, C H Phua, L P Teo, L M Wan Rizal Jurong Huang, W Z Rahayu Tan, W M Tharman Xie, Y Q Marine Parade Fahmi Seah, K P Tan, C J Tan, S L Tong, C F Marsiling–Yew Tee Soh, H B Wong, S T Yam, Z M Zaqy Nee Soon Goh, S H Shanmugam Faishal Ng, K K Tan, H M Pasir Ris–Punggol Puthucheary Sharael Tan, K M Teo, C H Yeo, W L Sembawang Lim, W K Mariam Ong, Y K Poh, L S Nair Sengkang Chua, K W He, T R Lim, C W Raeesah Tampines Baey, Y K Cheng, L H Choo, P C Koh, P K Masagos Tanjong Pagar Chan, C S Chua, S L Indranee Pereira Tan, S H West Coast Ang, W N Foo, M H Lee, T S Ong, S Y Iswaran Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) Bukit Batok Pillai Bukit Panjang Liang, E H Hong Kah North Khor, L S Hougang Tan, L F Kebun Baru Kwek, H C MacPherson Tin, P L Marymount Gan, S H Mountbatten Lim, B C Pioneer Tay, T G Potong Pasir Sitoh, Y P Punggol West Sun, X L Radin Mas Yong, Y C Yio Chu Kang Yip, H W Yuhua Fu, H Y Non-elected members NCMP Leong, M W Poa, K K NMPs Samad Ang, G H Chay, J J Cheng, H Y Hoon, H T Koh, L P Raj Shahira Tan, Y S 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. Other Current/Former MPs Nav Boxes 14 13 12 11 10 v t e Members of the 13th Parliament of Singapore (2015–2020) Speaker: Halimah Yacob→Tan, C J Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) Aljunied Chen, S M Lim, S L Low, T K Faisal Singh Ang Mo Kio Ang, H K David Gan, T P Intan Koh, P K Lee, H L Bishan–Toa Payoh Chee, H T Chong, K H Ng, E H Saktiandi Teo, L M Chua Chu Kang Gan, K Y Low, Y L Yee, C H Zaqy East Coast Lee, Y S Lim, S S Maliki Tan, S N Holland–Bukit Timah de Souza Liang, E H Sim, A Vivian Jalan Besar Heng, C H Neo, L Phua, L P Yaacob Jurong Ang, W N Lee, T S Rahayu Tharman Tan, W M Marine Parade Fatimah Goh, C T Seah, K P Tan, C J Tong, C F Marsiling–Yew Tee Ong, T K Wong, S T Yam, Z M Halimah Nee Soon Faishal Kwek, H C Lee, B W Ng, K K Shanmugam Pasir Ris–Punggol Ng, C M Puthucheary Sun, X L Teo, C H Teo, S L Zainal Sembawang Amrin Khaw, B W Lim, W K Ong, Y K Nair Tampines Baey, Y K Cheng, L H Choo, P C Heng, S K Masagos Tanjong Pagar Chan, C S Chia, S L Indranee Pereira Yong, Y C West Coast Foo, M H Iswaran Lim, H K Tay, T G Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) Bukit Batok Ong, K H→Pillai Bukit Panjang Teo, H P Fengshan Chan, W L Hong Kah North Khor, L S Hougang Png, E H MacPherson Tin, P L Mountbatten Lim, B C Pioneer Foo, C K Potong Pasir Sitoh, Y P Punggol East Chong, Y F Radin Mas Tan, C S Sengkang West Lam, P M Yuhua Fu, H Y Non-elected members NCMP Perera Tan, L F Goh, P S NMPs Azmoon Chia, Y Y Chua, K S Ganesh Kok, H L Kuik, S Y Mohan Tan, G K Thanaletchimi Arasu Foo, P Y Ho, W S Lim, S S Irshad Quay, S C Ong, L T Theseira Yip, P X 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. Other Current/Former MPs Nav Boxes 14 13 12 11 10 v t e Members of the 12th Parliament of Singapore (2011–2015) Speaker: Halimah Yacob Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) Aljunied Chen, S M Lim, S L Low, T K Faisal Singh Ang Mo Kio Ang, H K Singh Intan Lee, H L Seng, H T Yeo, G K Bishan-Toa Payoh Nair Ng, E H Teo, L M Wong, K S Zainudin Chua Chu Kang Gan, K Y Low, Y L Yam, Z M Yeo, K H Zaqy East Coast Lee Y S Lim S K Lim, S S Maliki Tan, S N Holland-Bukit Timah de Souza Liang, E H Sim, Ann Vivian Jurong Ang, W N Halimah Lee, T S Ong, K H Tharman Marine Parade Fatimah Goh, C T Seah, K P Tan, C J Tin, P L Moulmein-Kallang Lui, T Y Phua, L P Tong, C F Yaacob Nee Soon Lee, B W Lim, W K Faishal Shanmugam Tay, T G Pasir Ris-Punggol Gan, T P Puthucheary Low, Penny Teo, C H Teo, S L Zainal Sembawang Hawazi Khaw, B W Lee, G H Ong, T K Nair Tampines Baey, Y K Heng, S K Mah, B T Masagos Ng, P H Tanjong Pagar Chan, C S Chia, S L Indranee Neo, Lily West Coast Fong, Jen Foo, M H Iswaran Lim, H K Wong, S T Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) Bukit Panjang Teo, H P Hong Kah North Khor, L S Hougang Png, E H Joo Chiat Chong, Y F Mountbatten Lim, B C Pioneer Foo, C K Potong Pasir Sitoh, Y P Punggol East Lee, L L Radin Mas Tan, C S Sengkang West Lam, P M Whampoa Heng, C H Yuhua Fu, H Y Non-elected members NCMP Giam, Y S Loh, W L Yee, J J NMPs Dhinakaran Faizah Fang, K W Koh, Y M Lien, T C Liew, K E Tan, K B Tan, S S Teo, S S Chia, Y Y Chua, K S Karthikeyan Kuik, S Y Ismail Soh, S L Tan, C L Tan, G K Tan, T Y The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency 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 Boxes 13 12 11 v t e Members of the 11th Parliament of Singapore (2006–2011) Speaker: Abdullah Tarmugi Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) Aljunied Lim, H H Phua, S G Yeo, G K Yeo, Y B Zainul Ang Mo Kio Balaji Lam, P M Lee, B W Lee, H L Singh Wee, S K Bishan–Toa Payoh Nair Ng, E H Teo, L M Wong, K S Zainudin East Coast Abdullah Jayakumar Lee Y S Lim S K Tan, S N Holland–Bukit Timah de Souza Liang, E H Lim, S S Vivian Yu-Foo, Y S Hong Kah Ang, M S Khor, L S Yeo, C T Yeo, K H Zaqy Jalan Besar Heng, C H Lee, B Y Neo, Lily Phua, L P Yaacob Jurong Fu, H Y Halimah Lim, B H Ong, C C Tharman Marine Parade Fatimah Faishal Goh, C T Lim, B C Ong, S H Seah, K P Pasir Ris–Punggol Ahmad Chong, Y F Low, Penny Palmer Teo, C H Teo, S L Sembawang Hawazi Khaw, B W Shanmugam Lee, G H Lim, W K Maliki Tampines Mah, B T Masagos Ng, P H Ong, K M Sin, B A Tanjong Pagar Baey, Y K Indranee Koo, T K Lee, K Y Lui, T Y Tan, C S West Coast Fong, Jen Foo, C K Ho, G C Iswaran Lim, H K Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) Bukit Panjang Teo, H P Chua Chu Kang Gan, K Y Hougang Low, T K Joo Chiat Chan, S S MacPherson Yao, Matthias Nee Soon Central Ong, A H Nee Soon East Ho, P K Potong Pasir Chiam, S T Yio Chu Kang Seng, H T Non-elected members NCMP Lim, S L NMPs Banarjee, G Cham, H F Khew, T F Loo, C Y Mehta, K K Olsen, E E Phua, W C Siew, K H Thio, L A Cheng, E L Lee, K H Viswa Tan, B M Straughan, Paulin Teo, S S Wee, Y T Wong, W Y Yeo, W L The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency 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 Boxes 14 13 12 11 10

• Members of the Parliament of Singapore
• Workers' Party (Singapore) politicians
• Singaporean women in politics
• Singaporean educators
• Singaporean police officers
• Michigan State University alumni
• National University of Singapore alumni
• National Junior College alumni
• Singaporean people of Teochew descent
• Singaporean Roman Catholics
• 1965 births
• Living people
• Alumni of University College London
• Singaporean women lawyers
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