Valedictory Letter from PM Lee Hsien Loong to Mr Lim Boon Heng

Mr Lim Boon Heng
Minister, Prime Minister’s Office

As you retire from politics and government, I write to thank you for your outstanding contributions over the last 31 years.

You entered politics in 1980, when you were elected MP for Kebun Baru. You connected well with the ground, organising the grassroots effectively and improving the lives of residents. Because of this, the Party relied on you to take on some of our most difficult challenges. After 11 years in Kebun Baru, you moved at short notice to contest and win in Ulu Pandan in the 1991 election. In the 2001 election, you moved again, this time to lead Jurong GRC, again winning decisively.

You joined the Government in 1991 as Senior Minister of State with me at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as Chairman, National Productivity Board. Subsequently, you became Second Minister for Trade and Industry. In 1993 and 1996, you twice chaired Cost Review Committees to address public concerns and establish the facts about the perceived high cost of living, an issue which continues to be relevant today.

Your greatest contributions were in the labour movement, where you served for 26 years, including 13 years as Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC). You were a principled leader who understood the hopes and fears of workers. Unionists and workers respected and trusted you, because they knew you believed what you said, and had their interests at heart even when your message was a tough one. You represented them well, speaking up strongly on behalf of workers in public and in Cabinet, and helping the Government to shape pro-labour policies.

You understood well international competition and how markets worked, and what Singapore had to do to prosper and protect workers’ jobs. You knew that we could not simply legislate higher pay for workers, but had to upgrade skills, raise productivity, become more competitive and foster economic growth. It is not always easy to get abstract economic arguments across to workers, but you connected with workers and got them to support policies which furthered their interests. You believed firmly that "the best welfare for a worker is a job", and often shared with union leaders the importance of "enlarging the cake, not merely fighting for a bigger slice of a small cake". You also worked hard to strengthen our tripartite partnership, so that workers, employers and the government would work together to create prosperity for all.

During the Asian Financial Crisis, you rallied unionists and workers to accept the necessary bitter medicine. As a result, our economy regained its competitiveness, growth swiftly revived, and workers jobs were saved. This shared experience enabled the tripartite partners to tackle other economic downturns over the next decade, under the threats of global terrorism, SARS and the recent global economic crisis.

In your years with NTUC, you inspired and mentored many union leaders and staff who became committed and passionate champions for the interest of workers. By the time Mr Lim Swee Say took over as Secretary General in 2007, you had transformed the labour movement and established a solid foundation for him to build upon.

After NTUC, you continued as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, now in charge of ageing issues. An ageing population is a major long term challenge for Singapore, so I was glad that you agreed to take on the task. You threw yourself into the work, chairing the Ministerial Committee on Ageing, and personally leading the development and implementation of key initiatives.

One flagship project was the Wellness Programme. In just three years since its launch in 2008, the Wellness Programme has reached over 75,000 older Singaporeans, proving its popularity and relevance. You also worked with government agencies and VWOs to develop and deliver holistic services centred on the seniors. And most recently, you launched the City for All Ages project which will develop urban solutions for ageing. All these initiatives will better prepare us as our society ages.

You were appointed Deputy Chairman of the People’s Association (PA) in 2007. During your tenure, you guided the PA to refresh and reposition itself to be relevant for the future. You led a two-year visioning and engagement journey, bringing all stakeholders onboard to co-create a common vision for the community. You also introduced five-year planning to PA and its grassroots organisations, and led them to launch the Community 2015 Masterplan.

Today, grassroots leaders feel a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that they have a key role as community facilitators and builders of social capital, and are not merely event organisers. There is also a new buzz and excitement among the PA staff, as they support grassroots leaders to build, bond and bridge communities. The work that you have started in PA will set the direction for our grassroots movement well beyond your retirement.

Since 2004, you have been the PAP Chairman. In this role, you presided over all the major events of the Party. You kept a steady hand, displaying quiet confidence, and setting the tone for the party’s activities. You encouraged the branches to actively self-renew and bring in more YP members, but also constantly reminded members to recognise the contributions of the older rank-and-file members. This balance of experience and renewal is critical to keeping the party strong and vibrant.

You have been an invaluable asset to the Party, Government and Singapore. We will miss you, but know that you will continue to make contributions.