Lim Chee OnnDUNUDUBC (bornc. July 1944) is a former Singaporean minister and politician who currently serves as a member in theCouncil of Presidential Advisers andchancellor ofSingapore Management University.

Trained as a naval architect, Lim began his career in theSingapore Civil Service, and subsequently became an electedMember of Parliament (MP) forBukit Merah Constituency from 1977 to 1988, and forMarine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) from 1989 to 1992. From 1979 to 1983, Lim was the secretary-general of theNational Trades Union Congress; he was concurrently a Minister in thePrime Minister's Office from 1980 to 1983.

After leaving the Cabinet, Lim moved into corporate leadership and chaired major Singaporean companies, such as China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Development Company from 1994 to 1999, andKeppel from 2000 to 2008.

In July 1944, Lim Chee Onn and a twin brother were born in Japanese-occupied Singapore. His mother, fromKwangtung,China, worked as a salesperson. His father was educated inEnglish and worked atEu Yan Sang. The father and brother died of illness later in theJapanese occupation of Singapore.^[1]

Lim attendedSaint Anthony's Boys' School. From 1959 to 1962, he was educated atSt. Joseph's Institution.^[2] In 1961, Lim obtained aSenior Cambridge.^[3] After finishing school in 1962, he worked as acondensed milk salesperson, selling it at the back of a van. Later, Lim worked as asubstitute teacher atBeatty Secondary School.^[1]

In 1963, Lim attended a scholarship interview by thePublic Service Commission (PSC) and received aColombo Plan scholarship in September to studynaval architecture at theUniversity of Glasgow.^[4][5] Prior to the final examination, one of his professors, who was an eminent naval architect, recommended Lim to stay at the university and complete a fully-fundeddoctorate. As expatriates were leaving the marine department in Singapore, PSC denied the request, but allowed Lim to gain work experience. Upon graduation, he worked as a naval architect atOcean inLiverpool,England.^[6]

In 1974, Lim received a scholarship from thePort of Singapore Authority to study atHarvard University,^[7][8] where he completed aMaster of Public Administration.^[9][10]

In 1968, Lim joined theMarine Department.^[6][11] Being unhappy with his job, he subsequently requested a transfer. In 1971, Lim was transferred to the administrative service as a marine adviser to theMinistry of Communications.^[6][12]

In 1975, Lim was promoted to deputy secretary.^[6][8] On 28 February 1977, he led the Singapore delegation in a negotiation with theUnited States to secure landing rights forLos Angeles International Airport.^[13] However, it was reported on 5 March 1977 that the negotiation had ended two days ago without an agreement being reached.^[14]

In June 1977, Lim was rumoured to be thePeople's Action Party (PAP) candidate for the1977 by-elections.^[15] When contacted byNew Nation, Lim replied that it was "too early to make any statement".^[16] On 5 July 1977, Lim's candidacy was confirmed by the party.^[17][18] His opponent wasLee Siew Choh.^[19][20] On 17 July 1977, Lim was given an endorsement by Prime MinisterLee Kuan Yew, who said Lim was a "promising officer in the administrative service" and was reluctantly removed to stand for elections.^[21][22] On 23 July 1977, Lim received 72.2% of the 16,482 votes in theBukit Merah Constituency, and was elected as a member of the4th Parliament.^[23][24]

In August 1977, Lim was appointed as a deputy director in theNational Trades Union Congress (NTUC), reporting directly toDevan Nair.^[10][25] In December 1977, Lim said that Singapore will experience increased crime and economic stagnation if drug abuse is not reduced.^[26][27]

From 1978 to 1980, Lim was the political secretary for the Ministry of Science and Technology.^[5][28]

In January 1979, he was also appointed vice-chairman of the PAP's election committee, in anticipation of the1979 Singaporean by-elections.^[29] In February 1979, Lim was elected to PAP'sCentral Executive Committee (CEC) as an assistant treasurer.^[30][31] In March 1979, he was appointed as deputy secretary-general of NTUC.^[32][33] On 11 March 1979, Lim was part of the delegation^[a] led by Lee Kuan Yew to visit developments onBatam.^[34][35]

During a debate on extending secondary education to five years, Lim urged parents to recognise that their children may not have similar interests or capabilities compared to others, and suggested to establish an inter-ministry committee to look at how each ministry can contribute to a child's development.^[36]

On 15 September 1980, Lim was appointed as aminister without portfolio in thefifth Lee Kuan Yew cabinet.^[37][38] According to thePrime Minister's Office, Lim was appointed to preserve relations between PAP and NTUC, and to allow union workers to be considered in cabinet decisions.^[39] In October 1980, Lim was one of the eight members^[b] in a newly created NTUC-PAP liaison committee.^[40][41] Lim was also appointed as deputy chairman of the party's election committee.^[42] In December 1980, Lim was re-elected into PAP's CEC.^[43][44] He also called himself the "matchmaker of Singapore", while announcing the establishment of 20 working committees between companies and unions.^[45]

During the1980 general election, Lim stood as a candidate for Bukit Merah, and he won unopposed.^[46][47]

In the5th Parliament, Lim remained as a minister without portfolio.^[48][49] On 3 January 1981, Lim officiated the opening of aS$30,000 basketball court atBukit Merah Community Centre, and he said that young Singaporeans should not take benefits from the government for granted.^[50][51] In June 1981, Lim was a subscriber to SLF Properties, a newly-formedprivate limited company by theSingapore Labour Foundation (SLF).^[52] In July 1981, Lim was a founding member of the National Transport Workers' Union, and he was elected to the executive council.^[53] Other members includedMinister for Trade and IndustryTony Tan and NTUC's presidentDevan Nair.^[54]

After the1981 Anson by-election,J. B. Jeyaretnam challengedPrime MinisterLee Kuan Yew to a public, televised debate. On behalf of Lee,^[55] Lim rejected Jeyaretnam's request, and asked for elaboration on the suggestions made by the Jeyaratnam and his political party, theWorkers' Party.^[56][57]

On 19 January 1982, Lim was appointed as a lifetrustee ofWelcome, a supermarket by NTUC.^[58][59] Speaking at a conference in June 1982, Lim felt that the "colonial concept" ofdaily-rated workers limited employer-employee relationships, and proposed changing these workers to a monthly salary instead.^[60][61] On 24 June 1982,^[62] Lim called for a boycott against Australian goods for one month, after theSeamen's Union of Australia (SUA) detained Pacific Viking, a Singapore-registered cargo ship, for poor safety standards. He said that "it will be a concerted effort by our 61 unions to show the SUA and its friends that we condemn their protectionist action".^[63][64] 17 days later, Lim announced that the boycott will be lifted on 12 July 1982, and said that NTUC will not "hesitate to act again" if SUA were to repeat such actions.^[62][65]

On 15 November 1982, Lim was re-elected into PAP's CEC.^[66][67] On 10 December 1982, he was invited byNational University of Singapore Student Union presidentVivian Balakrishnan to give a talk about trade unions to students.^[68][69]

Lim remained as a minister without portfolio, while pending assignment to a new ministry.^[70][71] Lim also resigned as chairman ofNTUC Comfort, deputy chairman of SLF, and other trade union positions.^[72] On 22 July 1983, in a letter Lee, Lim rejected the new posting and resigned as cabinet minister.^[73]

On 1 August 1983, Lim was assigned as abackbencher in parliament.^[74] He also resigned as vice-chairman and second organising secretary of PAP.^[75]

During the1984 general election, Lim remained as a candidate in Bukit Merah, and he won unopposed.^[76]

On 15 February 1985, Lim was appointed as a board member of theUrban Redevelopment Authority.^[77] In June 1985, he was also appointed as chairman of the public accounts committee of the6th Parliament,^[78][79] which scrutinises the government expenditure.^[80]

In a 1988 National Day speech, Prime Minister Lee singled Lim as the type of person Singapore needs in times of crises.^[81][82] Lee said:

He has been in the Cabinet, he has been secretary-general of the NTUC. You throw that away? And just to look after Keppel? I think that's a crime! Keppel can find somebody else, but Singapore cannot find another MP like that and we want an MP like that. In a crisis, such people matter.^[82]

During the1988 general election, Lim remained as a candidate in Bukit Merah, and his opponent was Pok Lee Chuen of the Workers' Party.^[83] Lim received 9,414 votes and won the election.^[84]

On 9 January 1989, Lim was sworn into the7th Parliament,^[85] and he was reappointed as chairman of the public accounts committee.^[86] On 11 May 1990, Lim was appointed as chairman of Steamers Maritime Holdings.^[87][88] For the1991 general election, he stood as one of the candidates in theMarine Parade Group Representation Constituency.^[89][90] Lim and his team won the election with 77.2% of the votes.^[91]

On 6 January 1992, Lim was sworn into the8th Parliament. He resigned on 1 December 1992, citinghypertension and corporate work as the reasons for resignation,^[92] and he did not stand as a candidate for the1992 Marine Parade by-election.^[93][94]

In February 1978, Lim was appointed as a director ofSingapore Bus Services.^[95][96] In June 1978, Lim was appointed as chairman of NTUC Comfort.^[11]

On 1 August 1982, Lim was appointed as a board member of theSAFRA National Service Association.^[97]

In May 1979, Lim succeededDevan Nair as secretary-general of NTUC,^[98][99] making him the first youngest leader of NTUC.^[81][100] In September 1979, as part of theSpeak Mandarin Campaign, Lim urged all union officials to converse inMandarin Chinese, instead ofChinese dialects.^[101][102]

In April 1983, NTUC board members told Prime Minister Lee that they had a lack of rapport with Lim due to his "natural reticence", and they preferredOng Teng Cheong as secretary-general. As such, Lee removed Lim from his position, and he was replaced by Ong on 9 May 1983.

On 1 September 1983, Lim joinedKeppel as a managing director of shipping.^[103] In October 1983, he was appointed as a board member of Straits Steamship, a subsidiary of Keppel.^[104] In April 1984, Lim was promoted to become managing director of Straits Steamship.^[105][106]

On 4 May 1993, Lim stepped down as chairman of Steamers Maritime, and he was succeeded by Cyril Neville Watson.^[107][108] In June 1993, Lim was appointed as the inaugural chairman of theNational Heritage Board (NHB).^[109][110] In August 1993, Lim was also appointed as chairman of the China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Development Company, a joint venture entity betweenChina and Singapore for theSuzhou Industrial Park.^[111][112] In October 1995, he was given aJiangsuhonorary citizenship.^[113]

On 1 June 1996, Lim was appointed as a non-executive board director ofSingapore Airlines.^[114][115] On 1 January 1997, Lim succeededSim Kee Boon as chairman of Straits Steamship Land, which was later renamed to Keppel Land.^[116][117] On 15 October 1998, Lim was appointed as a board member of theMonetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).^[118]

On 1 January 2000, Lim became executive chairman of Keppel andKeppel TatLee Bank, succeeding Sim.^[119][120] In an interview toBloomberg News, Sim said that Lim is "tenacious" and has "very good networking abilities both in the Government and in the region".^[81] On 1 August 2002, Lim was succeeded byTommy Koh as chairman of NHB.^[121]

On 2 January 2008, Lim was appointed by PresidentS. R. Nathan as an alternate member in theCouncil of Presidential Advisers (CPA).^[122] On 30 June 2009, he stepped down as chairman of Keppel, and he was replaced byLee Boon Yang. Lim remained as a senior advisor.^[123]

In April 2017, Lim was appointed by PresidentTony Tan as a member in CPA.^[124][125] On 31 May 2018, Lim stepped down as a board member of MAS.^[126][127] On 1 August 2019, Lim was appointed aschancellor ofSingapore Management University, succeedingJ. Y. Pillay.^[128]

Lim isCatholic.^[6]

While studying inGlasgow, Lim met Christine Parsons, who was fromCheshire,England. In 1968, Lim married Parsons and they have three children.^[7]

• Order of Nila Utama (with High Distinction), in 2019.^[129][130]
• Commander of theOrder of the Crown, in 2008.^[131]
• Distinguished Service Order, in 2007.^[132][133]

On 11 July 2002, Lim was awarded anhonorary degree ofDoctor of Engineering by the University of Glasgow.^[134][135]

• Lim, Chee Onn (10 December 1977).THE ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS IN THE FURTHER INDUSTRIALISATION OF SINGAPORE(PDF). LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND FURTHER INDUSTRIALISATION OF SINGAPORE – viaNational Archives of Singapore.
• Lim, Chee Onn (1979).Singapore Industrial Development Strategy - The Whys & Wherefores. Singapore:National Trades Union Congress.
• Lim, Chee Onn (November 1980).Work and excel for an even better quality of life: NTUC's position paper. NTUC Ordinary Delegates Conference. Singapore:National Trades Union Congress.ISBN 9789971941857.OCLC 13159668.
• Lim, Chee Onn (1980).Progress into the '80s: Secretary-General's Report to the Adjourned 3rd Triennial Delegates Conference of the NTUC, incorporating the NTUC Plan of Action for the '80s.National Trades Union Congress.LCCN 85940146.OCLC 12641259.

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