Sylvia Lim to marry long-time partner Quah Kim Song in January

Workers' Party (WP) chair Sylvia Lim will marry her long-time partner, former national footballer Quah Kim Song, in January 2024. Lim confirmed the upcoming nuptials in response to a query from Channel News Asia on Tuesday (22 Oct). The ceremony will be held in a church and attended by family members. The couple, who have been together for nearly 12 years, are both Catholics and share a strong bond. Mr Quah, a widower with two children, met Ms Lim in January 2013 during a WP variety show. He had been invited as a special guest and performed a song and dance with Lim, who was single at the time. Local press previously quoted Mr Quah as saying that they "hope to be together for a long time." Ms Lim, 59, has led the Workers' Party as its chair since 2003. She has been a prominent figure in Singapore's political landscape, having been a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament between 2006 and part of the WP team that made history in 2011 by becoming the first opposition group to win a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) election. She has since remained a Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied GRC.

Quah, 72, is a legendary figure in Singapore’s sporting history. As one of the country's biggest football stars in the 1970s, he played a key role in Singapore’s victorious 1977 Malaysia Cup campaign, where he scored two goals in the final match. Quah comes from a notable sporting family, with six of his 11 siblings also representing Singapore in football. Despite their high-profile careers, the couple maintains a low-key personal life. They try to avoid discussing politics in their relationship, with Lim acknowledging that they make an effort to separate their professional lives from their personal ones. This will be the first marriage for Lim, while Quah, a widower, was previously married. The couple’s long-term relationship has drawn public interest, particularly due to their distinct backgrounds in politics and sports. Lim, who is also a former police inspector and trained lawyer, continues to play a significant role in Singapore's political opposition. Her influence within the Workers' Party and her contributions to Singaporean politics have earned her widespread recognition over the years. As one of Singapore’s best-known political figures, her upcoming marriage is likely to draw significant attention, both due to her personal popularity and Quah’s storied football career. The couple, however, seems committed to keeping the event a private and family-focused affair, in line with their generally reserved approach to their personal life.