Low Yen Ling
Low Yen Ling | |
|---|---|
| 刘燕玲 | |
Low in 2025 | |
| Mayor of South West District | |
| Assumed office 27 May 2014 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong Lawrence Wong |
| Preceded by | Amy Khor |
| Member of Parliament for Bukit Gombak SMC | |
| Assumed office 3 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Majority | 12,220 (51.62%) |
| Member of Parliament for Chua Chu Kang GRC | |
| In office 7 May 2011 – 15 April 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | PAP held |
| Majority |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 August 1974 Singapore |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Nanyang Technological University (BBus) |
Low Yen Ling (Chinese: 刘燕玲; pinyin: Liú Yànlíng; born 17 August 1974) is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Mayor of South West District since 2014, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry concurrently since 2024. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Bukit Gombak SMC since 2025, and previously the Bukit Gombak division of Chua Chu Kang GRC between 2011 and 2025.
Prior to entering politics, Low had worked at financial institutions, a start-up venture, and the Economic Development Board (EDB).[1]
She made her political debut in the 2011 general election as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in Chua Chu Kang GRC and won with 61.2% of the vote.
Education
Low was educated at Dunman High School and Temasek Junior College before graduating from the Nanyang Technological University with a Bachelor of Business with second upper honours degree in financial analysis.[2]
Career
Low started her career in the private sector by handling commercial lending accounts for Keppel TatLee Bank and United Overseas Bank.[2][1] After that, she worked at a start-up, AutoHub Private Limited, which reportedly failed.[3] She then joined the Economic Development Board in 2001 and became the director of three divisions. In April 2011, she left the Economic Development Board[4] and became Chief Executive Officer of Business China on 1 June 2011.[2][5][6]
Political career
Low was introduced as a PAP candidate on 4 April 2011[7][8] contesting as part of a five-member PAP team in Chua Chu Kang GRC during the 2011 general election. The PAP team won with 61.2% of the vote against the National Solidarity Party[9] and Low became the Member of Parliament representing the Bukit Gombak ward of Chua Chu Kang GRC. On 1 October 2013, Low was appointed Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Social and Family Development. She was given an additional appointment as Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth on 1 May 2014. On 27 May 2014, she was appointed Mayor of the South West District and Chairperson of the Mayors' Committee.[10]
During the 2015 general election, Low contested as part of a four-member PAP team in Chua Chu Kang GRC and they won with 76.91% of the vote against the People's Power Party. On 1 October 2015, Low was appointed Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Trade and Industry. [11] On 1 May 2017, she was promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary and continued serving at the two Ministries. On 1 May 2018, she relinquished her appointment at the Ministry of Trade and Industry while continuing to serve at the Ministry of Education. In addition, she became Senior Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Manpower.[12][10]
In the 2020 general election, Low joined a four-member PAP team contesting in Chua Chu Kang GRC and they won with 58.64% of the vote against the Progress Singapore Party. On 27 July 2020, she was promoted to Minister of State and appointed to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.[10]
Low was appointed as Chairperson of the Chua Chu Kang Town Council (CCKTC) since 2015.
In January 2025, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) volunteers alleged that PAP volunteers had followed their party walkabout in Chua Chu Kang. PSP had lodged a police report about it. Low responded via a Facebook post that the PSP volunteers started the incident when both teams met during their walkabouts. Low said a PSP volunteer had intimidated and slapped a PAP volunteer twice and had also taunted another PAP volunteer besides other acts. The response resulted in rebuttals from PSP and Low responded that "... PSP has twisted the truth and has given an untrue picture of what happened.”[13] Low initially said no police report was made by PAP volunteers but it was reported that they had also filed a police report.[13][14]
In 2025, Low's Bukit Gombak ward was carved out of the Chua Chu Kang GRC.[15] Low has been named as the PAP's candidate to contest Bukit Gombak Single Member Constituency (SMC) against PSP's candidate Harish Pillay in the 2025 general election.[14]
Personal life
Low is married with two sons.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "Ms Low Yen Ling". Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
- ^ a b c "New Media Centre Media Speeches Artiicle Page » Business China". www.businesschina.org.sg.
- ^ "Low Yen Ling's failed start-up". RazorTV/AsiaOne. 5 April 2011. Archived from the original on 14 December 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "Two new PAP faces likely at Chua Chu Kang GRC". Straits Times. 2 April 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "Business China appoints new Chief Executive Officer". Business China. 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "Business China appoints MP Low Yen Ling as new CEO". Channel NewsAsia. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "3 more new PAP candidates introduced". AsiaOne. 4 April 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "Armed and ready for battle". my paper/AsiaOne. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "2011 Parliamentary Election Results". Singapore Elections Department. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ a b c "MP | Parliament Of Singapore". www.parliament.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ govsingapore (6 October 2016), 《吃饱没?》(Eat Already?) Episode 5, archived from the original on 16 April 2019, retrieved 19 November 2018
- ^ "Changes to Cabinet and other appointments". The Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- ^ a b Ng, Wei Kai (8 January 2025). "PAP and PSP allege harassment during Chua Chu Kang walkabout, offer different accounts". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
- ^ a b Ng, Abigail; Zalizan, Taufiq (23 April 2025). "GE2025: PSP's Harish Pillay challenges PAP's Low Yen Ling for Bukit Gombak SMC seat". CNA. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
- ^ Koh, Fabian (11 March 2025). "GE2025: Extensive changes to electoral boundaries due to population shifts; only 5 GRCs, 4 SMCs left intact". CNA. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.