Sylvia Lim

Lim Swee Lian Sylvia (zh-sp|s=林瑞莲|p=Lín Ruì Lián, born 28 March 1965) is the Chairman of the Workers' Party of Singapore and a Lecturer and manager of Continuing Education and Training at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore. She is presently the only Non-Constituency Member of Parliament in the Singapore Parliament.

Early Life and Career

Lim studied Law at the National University of Singapore after completing her pre-university education at National Junior College, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree. She obtained a Master of Laws degree from the University of London in 1989, and was called to the Singapore Bar in 1991. During her undergraduate and postgraduate studies, she did volunteer work with the Spastic Children's Association, Salvation Army Home for the Aged and the University College Hospital (London). She thereafter did editorial work on a voluntary basis for the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme of the Law Society.

In 1991 she joined the Singapore Police Force as a Police Inspector where she served for 3 years; she was active in investigation work (including supervision) at the Central Police Division HQ and thereafter was staff officer to the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department.

In 1994 she returned to practise law in the private sector, with M/s Lim & Lim. From 1994 to 1998, she handled both civil and criminal cases in the High Court, Subordinate Courts and Juvenile Court.

Lim joined Temasek Polytechnic in 1998 as a lecturer, and she is also the manager of Continuing Education and Training at the Polytechnic's Business School. Her main areas of teaching and research are in civil and criminal procedure, criminal justice and private security. During her time at Temasek Polytechnic, Lim had contributed to the volume on Criminal Procedure for Halsbury's "Laws of Singapore" (2003), a legal practitioners' reference series, and has also collected and published primary research on private security in Singapore.

In March 2006, Temasek Polytechnic modified its policy so that Lim did not need to resign from her lecturer position before she ran in the upcoming general election.

General Election 2006

On 27 April 2006, nomination day for the general election 2006, Lim led a team of 5 Workers' Party members to contest the Aljunied GRC in a straight fight between the People's Action Party team lead by Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo of the People's Action Party (PAP) and the Workers' Party team, in her maiden electoral battle. Lim's GRC team garnered 43.9% of the vote in the hotly contested GRC on May 6, 2006. As the best-performing opposition loser in the election, the Workers' Party decided to accept her nomination as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP). [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/207449/1/.html]

Philosophy

With the ruling party securing 75% of votes at the Singapore general election, 2001, Lim said her concerns were that unless credible people come forward, the fate of alternative parties in Singapore hung in the balance. Alternative parties, she said, had a role in scrutinising government policy constructively and asking for justifications for any laws which will affect the people.