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| Lim Boon Heng |
Mr Lim, 63, who is a Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC, revealed that he wanted to step down in the last General Election (GE) but was asked by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to stay for one more term.
Speaking to residents at an event to launch the Jurong Town Council five-year concept masterplan held at Jurong EastMRTstation yesterday, he also unveiled the line-up for Jurong Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the upcoming GE.
Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam will helm the five-man team which also includes veteran unionist Halimah Yacob and three new candidates – Mr Desmond Lee, 35, Mr David Ong, 50, and Mr Ang Wei Neng, 43.
Mr Lim also elaborated on how the team would work together in the coming election.
Mr Tharman will take charge of the Taman Jurong division, while Madam Halimah will look after both Bukit Batok East and the Toh Guan area.
Mr Ang will oversee Jurong Green, while Mr Lee will oversee Jurong Spring. Mr Ong will look after Bukit Batok.
Senior Minister of State (Education and National Development) Grace Fu will continue to lead Yuhua ward, which has been hived off as a single-member constituency.
Mr Lim also dispelled rumours that he would be running in the presidential election. He said: “I do not wish to be a president... My goals for the future are much more modest.”
He is currently the deputy chairman of the People’s Association and, although he will step down because “you need a minister to be deputy chairman”, he will continue to volunteer his services there.
He will remain committed to NTUC Eldercare, which he said is his passion.
Mr Lim, who is in his seventh term, became Second Minister for Trade and Industry, as well as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, in 1993.
He was elected MP of Kebun Baru ward in 1980.
In 1981, he joined the National Trades Union Congress and was elected to be its secretary-general in 1993.
He was appointed the minister in charge of ageing issues in 2007.
His retirement comes in the wake of speculation that he might be moved to another GRC to prop up the People’s Action Party team against Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang, if he decides to contest a GRC.
Sources: http://news.asiaone.com
