First woman minister

March 27, 2009

First woman minister

By Aaron Low, Political Correspondent
		As full minister, Mrs Lim hopes to inspire more women to take up leadership roles.

FROM April 1, a woman will join the ranks of Singapore's top political leadership as a full minister.

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, 50, will become a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, as well as Second Minister in both the Finance and Transport ministries, where she has been Senior Minister of State since last year.

BRING MORE WOMEN IN 'One hopes we'll see more women Cabinet ministers. We still have some way to go because she's not helming any ministry. It's certainly big progress, much as it is very incremental.' Mr Eugene Tan, law lecturer and political observer at the Singapore Management University, on Mrs Lim Hwee Hua's appointment as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office ... more

Mrs Lim's promotion marks the end of a long wait for Singapore's first woman minister.

The last time a woman came close was in 1991, when Dr Seet Ai Mee was made Acting Minister for Community Development. She, however, lost her seat in the election later that year.

Since then, although there have been women ministers of state, none has risen to be a full minister, until now.

Reflecting on her appointment, Mrs Lim said she had benefited as a female Singaporean, with equal and easy access to opportunities in education and career.

She hoped her appointment would show that women could play key roles in politics, and inspire them to take up leadership roles.

'I hope this will signal that Singapore belongs equally to both men and women,' she said.

Mrs Lim said she was mindful of the expectations that people might have of Singapore's first woman minister, but was not unduly worried by them.

'I hope the expectations will be no different from what my male colleagues face, and be based against the responsibilities we will handle,' she said.

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