Lim Boon Heng
Encyclopedia
Lim Boon Heng is a politician from Singapore
. He is currently the Chairman of Singapore's governing People's Action Party
(PAP). He is also the Deputy Chairman of the People's Association
, and was formerly the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress
(NTUC) http://uportal.ntuc.org.sg/wps/portal/splash(NTUC). a He was formerly a Cabinet Minister
in the Prime Minister's Office
. Upon graduation in 1970, he joined Neptune Orient Lines
(NOL) as a naval architect. In 1971, he was awarded a one-year NORAD (Norwegian) Fellowship for practical training in Oslo
, leading to a Diploma in International Shipping inspection. Lim was assigned overseas twice to supervise the construction of NOL's new ships - Denmark (1972–1974) and Japan (1976–1977). He was promoted to Manager of Corporate Planning in 1978, while concurrently holding the post of Manager of Liner Services.
], who had previously worked with him in NOL. Lim was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Kebun Baru (1980–1991). A keen believer in civil society, he floated the concept of town councils in 1984 and became the Chairman of the first town council in Ang Mo Kio West in 1986. He was MP for Ulu Pandan (1991–1997), Bukit Timah GRC (1997–2006) and is now one of the MP for the Jurong GRC. Lim was Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Labour (1987–1991) and Deputy Speaker of Parliament (1989–1991).
Lim has been a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office since 1993 October. He was appointed Senior Minister of State in 1991 and later became the Second Minister in 1993. In 1996, he was the Treasurer of the PAP Central Executive Committee and went on to become the Chairman of the PAP Central Executive Committee in 2004. In 2007, Lim was appointed Chairman of the Ministerial Committee on Ageing to oversee issues related to Singapore's rapidly ageing population.
Lim was Chairman of the National Productivity Board (1991–2003), later known as the Productivity and Standards Board and subsequently the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING Singapore). Lim was also Chairman of the Skills Development Council (1999–2002).
Lim was twice Chairman of the Cost Review Committee to look into cost of living in Singapore (CRC1993 and CRC1996).
Lim Boon Heng announced at a community event in Jurong GRC that he will be retiring from politics. He said that he will be succeeded by Tharman Shanmugaratnam
.
in Singapore. He spent 26 years working with the National Trades Union Congress
- the last 13 as its Secretary-General. He rose from Deputy Director (1981–1983) to Assistant Secretary-General (1983–1987) and Deputy Secretary-General (1987–1991). Thereafter, he had a two-year stint at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (1991–1993). Upon his return to the NTUC, he was elected Secretary-General and served for another four terms until he stepped down in 2006 December to make way for Lim Swee Say
.
Lim is Chairman of NTUC Eldercare since 2000 and Deputy Chairman of Singapore Labour Foundation
since 1997. Following his retirement from NTUC, Lim helps to oversee the labour movement's network of nine cooperatives. He is currently Chairman of the Social Enterprises Development Council.
Right from the start, Lim was involved in industrial relations. He often shared with union leaders the importance of "enlarging the cake, not merely fighting for a bigger slice of a small cake". Hence, it is the unionist's responsibility to help companies improve productivity. He served for many years as a member on the National Wages Council (1981–1991, except 1989). Lim was instrumental in pushing for a flexible wage system to help older workers keep their jobs and to preserve jobs during difficult economic times. His pet phrase is that "the best welfare for a worker is a job". He believes that workers' interests are best served if trade unions help them remain employable through continuous upgrading of their skills.
Through his quiet leadership, Lim built up close rapport and trust with the union leaders. He was able to persuade union leaders to support the CPF cuts and reform during the 1998 recession. He also rallied union leaders and workers to support the restructuring of key companies like PSA
and SIA
.
Aware of the many criticisms of his wearing the two hats - that of NTUC chief and Minister in the Cabinet, Lim argued that this arrangement gave labour a place to influence public policymaking at the highest level. He opined that both trade unions and government have the same objective - to better the lives of workers.
Lim is known among union leaders for speaking the truth, even when it hurts. His approach is pro-worker, pro business. As labour chief, he does not shirk from speaking uncomfortable truths about jobs and wages at risk from globalisation. Examples were when he spoke about "pre-emptive retrenchments" and when he warned of the dismal prospects of a "jobless recovery
". Lim's first principle as a unionist is "If what you know is true, stick by it, persist, never mind the criticism, and work towards understanding and acceptance."
In 1996 August, Lim was conferred the honorary Doctor of Business from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University
) for his significant role in developing and fostering the tripartite relationship among government, employers and workers in Singapore. In November 1996, Lim received the honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from his alma master, the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne
for his "combined academic distinction, business acumen, political commitment and social concern". In 2007, the NTUC honoured Lim with the highest of the May Day Awards, the Distinguished Comrade of Labour for his unique and supreme contributions to the trade union movement. The NTUC recognises Lim as having played a key role in building trust among tripartite partners in the tumultuous 1990s when Singapore was rocked by recessions, job losses, and economic restructuring
.
Lim was also the Executive Secretary of SMMWU(1981–1991) and advisor to 11 unions affiliated to the NTUC. He was also Chairman of NTUC Pasir Ris Resort Management Committee (1988–1992), Chairman of NTUC Club (1993–2006) and Appointing Governor of the Ong Teng Cheong Institute of Labour Studies (OTC-ILS)(1993–2006).
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. He is currently the Chairman of Singapore's governing People's Action Party
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
(PAP). He is also the Deputy Chairman of the People's Association
People's Association
The People’s Association was established in Singapore as a statutory board on 1 July 1960 to promote racial harmony and social cohesion. PA commemorated its 50th Anniversary in 2010....
, and was formerly the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress
National Trades Union Congress
The National Trades Union Congress , also known as the Singapore National Trades Union Congress , is the sole national trade union centre in Singapore...
(NTUC) http://uportal.ntuc.org.sg/wps/portal/splash(NTUC). a He was formerly a Cabinet Minister
Cabinet of Singapore
The Cabinet of Singapore forms the Government of Singapore together with the President of Singapore. It is led by the Prime Minister of Singapore who is the head of government...
in the Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister's Office
The Prime Minister's Office is a small department which provides advice to a Prime Minister in some countries:* Office of the Prime Minister * Office of the Prime Minister * British Prime Minister's Office...
Early life
Lim grew up in a small farm in Punggol, Singapore. He studied at Montfort Junior School (1955–1960) and Montfort Secondary School (1961–1966). In 1967, Lim was awarded a Colombo Plan Scholarship to study Naval Architecture at the University of Newcastle Upon TyneUniversity of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle University is a major research-intensive university located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. It was established as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne by an Act of Parliament in August 1963. Newcastle University is...
. Upon graduation in 1970, he joined Neptune Orient Lines
Neptune Orient Lines
Neptune Orient Lines Limited , is a Singapore-based global transport company with core businesses in container shipping and supply chain management...
(NOL) as a naval architect. In 1971, he was awarded a one-year NORAD (Norwegian) Fellowship for practical training in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, leading to a Diploma in International Shipping inspection. Lim was assigned overseas twice to supervise the construction of NOL's new ships - Denmark (1972–1974) and Japan (1976–1977). He was promoted to Manager of Corporate Planning in 1978, while concurrently holding the post of Manager of Liner Services.
Political career
Lim entered politics in 1980 after he was approached by Goh Chok TongGoh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
], who had previously worked with him in NOL. Lim was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Kebun Baru (1980–1991). A keen believer in civil society, he floated the concept of town councils in 1984 and became the Chairman of the first town council in Ang Mo Kio West in 1986. He was MP for Ulu Pandan (1991–1997), Bukit Timah GRC (1997–2006) and is now one of the MP for the Jurong GRC. Lim was Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Labour (1987–1991) and Deputy Speaker of Parliament (1989–1991).
Lim has been a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office since 1993 October. He was appointed Senior Minister of State in 1991 and later became the Second Minister in 1993. In 1996, he was the Treasurer of the PAP Central Executive Committee and went on to become the Chairman of the PAP Central Executive Committee in 2004. In 2007, Lim was appointed Chairman of the Ministerial Committee on Ageing to oversee issues related to Singapore's rapidly ageing population.
Lim was Chairman of the National Productivity Board (1991–2003), later known as the Productivity and Standards Board and subsequently the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING Singapore). Lim was also Chairman of the Skills Development Council (1999–2002).
Lim was twice Chairman of the Cost Review Committee to look into cost of living in Singapore (CRC1993 and CRC1996).
Lim Boon Heng announced at a community event in Jurong GRC that he will be retiring from politics. He said that he will be succeeded by Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Tharman Shanmugaratnam is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance and Minister for Manpower. He previously served as the Minister for Education from 2003 to 2008...
.
Trade Union Career
Lim has a distinguished career with the trade unionTrade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in Singapore. He spent 26 years working with the National Trades Union Congress
National Trades Union Congress
The National Trades Union Congress , also known as the Singapore National Trades Union Congress , is the sole national trade union centre in Singapore...
- the last 13 as its Secretary-General. He rose from Deputy Director (1981–1983) to Assistant Secretary-General (1983–1987) and Deputy Secretary-General (1987–1991). Thereafter, he had a two-year stint at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (1991–1993). Upon his return to the NTUC, he was elected Secretary-General and served for another four terms until he stepped down in 2006 December to make way for Lim Swee Say
Lim Swee Say
Lim Swee Say is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently a Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress....
.
Lim is Chairman of NTUC Eldercare since 2000 and Deputy Chairman of Singapore Labour Foundation
Singapore Labour Foundation
The Singapore Labour Foundation was established in 1977. Its aims are to improve the welfare of union members and to further the development of trade unions in Singapore....
since 1997. Following his retirement from NTUC, Lim helps to oversee the labour movement's network of nine cooperatives. He is currently Chairman of the Social Enterprises Development Council.
Right from the start, Lim was involved in industrial relations. He often shared with union leaders the importance of "enlarging the cake, not merely fighting for a bigger slice of a small cake". Hence, it is the unionist's responsibility to help companies improve productivity. He served for many years as a member on the National Wages Council (1981–1991, except 1989). Lim was instrumental in pushing for a flexible wage system to help older workers keep their jobs and to preserve jobs during difficult economic times. His pet phrase is that "the best welfare for a worker is a job". He believes that workers' interests are best served if trade unions help them remain employable through continuous upgrading of their skills.
Through his quiet leadership, Lim built up close rapport and trust with the union leaders. He was able to persuade union leaders to support the CPF cuts and reform during the 1998 recession. He also rallied union leaders and workers to support the restructuring of key companies like PSA
PSA
PSA may refer to:* PSA International , world's second largest port operator* PSA Peugeot Citroën, French vehicle manufacturer...
and SIA
Sia
-People:*Sia Berkeley , British actress*Sia Figiel , Samoan novelist, poet and painter*Sia Furler , Australian singer...
.
Aware of the many criticisms of his wearing the two hats - that of NTUC chief and Minister in the Cabinet, Lim argued that this arrangement gave labour a place to influence public policymaking at the highest level. He opined that both trade unions and government have the same objective - to better the lives of workers.
Lim is known among union leaders for speaking the truth, even when it hurts. His approach is pro-worker, pro business. As labour chief, he does not shirk from speaking uncomfortable truths about jobs and wages at risk from globalisation. Examples were when he spoke about "pre-emptive retrenchments" and when he warned of the dismal prospects of a "jobless recovery
Jobless recovery
A jobless recovery or jobless growth is an economic phenomon in which a macroeconomy experiences growth while maintaining or decreasing its level of employment...
". Lim's first principle as a unionist is "If what you know is true, stick by it, persist, never mind the criticism, and work towards understanding and acceptance."
In 1996 August, Lim was conferred the honorary Doctor of Business from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
) for his significant role in developing and fostering the tripartite relationship among government, employers and workers in Singapore. In November 1996, Lim received the honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from his alma master, the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle University is a major research-intensive university located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. It was established as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne by an Act of Parliament in August 1963. Newcastle University is...
for his "combined academic distinction, business acumen, political commitment and social concern". In 2007, the NTUC honoured Lim with the highest of the May Day Awards, the Distinguished Comrade of Labour for his unique and supreme contributions to the trade union movement. The NTUC recognises Lim as having played a key role in building trust among tripartite partners in the tumultuous 1990s when Singapore was rocked by recessions, job losses, and economic restructuring
Economic restructuring
Economic restructuring refers to the phenomenon of Western urban areas shifting from a manufacturing to a service sector economic base. This transformation has affected demographics including income distribution, employment, and social hierarchy; institutional arrangements including the growth of...
.
Lim was also the Executive Secretary of SMMWU(1981–1991) and advisor to 11 unions affiliated to the NTUC. He was also Chairman of NTUC Pasir Ris Resort Management Committee (1988–1992), Chairman of NTUC Club (1993–2006) and Appointing Governor of the Ong Teng Cheong Institute of Labour Studies (OTC-ILS)(1993–2006).