Mr Raymond Lim, a PAP MP in East Coast GRC (Fengshan ward), is retiring.
The 56 year-old former Transport Minister did not reveal who his successor will be, although the Straits Times[1] (“Raymond Lim formally announces retirement”, 16 Aug 2015) indicated it will likely be 38-year-old grassroots leader, Cheryl Chan – the news article said she has volunteered in Fengshan for 10 years.
After the recent electoral boundary changes, Fengshan is now a single-seat ward and looks likely to be contested by the Worker’s Party.
TODAY’s piece, “East Coast GRC MP Raymond Lim retiring ahead of upcoming GE” (15 Aug 2015),[2] reproduced his speech to Fengshan residents at a Hari Raya event in full. In the speech, Lim said he had previously informed the Prime Minister of his intention to retire so as to spend more time with his family. He also thanked Fengshan residents for their “friendship, kindness and support” over the years.
Lim said he was asked by the PM to identify a “good candidate” to succeed him and that this candidate, already identified, will be “formally announced in due course”.
Lim has been an MP of East Coast GRC since 2001. He was also formerly Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Trade and Industry (2001-2004), then Acting Minister, Second Minister for Finance & Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Aug 2004–March 2005). The following year, he was a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for the Ministry of Finance & Ministry of Foreign Affairs (April 2005–May 2006), before becoming Minister of Transport & Second Minister for Foreign Affairs (May 2006–May 2011). Lim retired as Cabinet Minister in 2011 after the last General Election, at the same time as Wong Kan Seng (then Deputy Prime Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security) and Mah Bow Tan (then National Development Minister).[3]
According to Lim’s CV posted on parliament.gov.sg,[4] he was a law lecturer at the National University of Singapore (1988-1992), before taking on a brief stint as a journalist with the Straits Times (1992). He then became Group Executive Director of Kim Eng Securities Pte Ltd (1992-1998), followed by Group Chief Economist at ABN Amro Asia Securities (1998-2000), then Managing Director of DBS Securities Singapore (2000-2001).
