PUBLISHED ONJuly 29, 2026 3:48 AMBYSean LerFormer People's Action Party (PAP) MP Lim Soo Peng has died on Monday (July 27), aged 98.
He represented Havelock constituency between 1967 to 1970, after winning a by-election held on March 7, 1967, to fill the vacancy in Parliament caused by the resignation of Barisan Sosialis MP Loh Miaw Gong.
Lim later resigned in 1970, along with four other PAP MPs, in a move which then-PAP secretary-general Lee Kuan Yew said was to provide for continuity in the political leadership.
"They have agreed to stand down so that the party can bring new talent and experience into Parliament," Lee was reported as saying, adding that Lim had asked to be relieved of his responsibilities because he wished to devote more time to his commitments in the industry, reported The Straits Times in 1970.
Lim was succeeded by Hon Sui Sen, who later served as Minister for Finance between 1970 and 1983.
Then 42 years old, Lim then focused on the company he founded, Chemical Industries (Far East) Pte Ltd, eventually listing it on 1973.
He went on to become the company's chairman, managing director and later emeritus chairman, before retiring from the board in July 2025.
But Lim did not fade from public service after stepping down as a member of parliament, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in a Facebook post on Tuesday night.
"After stepping down from politics, he devoted himself to serving the community.
"Appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1966, he went on to serve as a Home Team volunteer for an extraordinary 55 years, supporting inmates and those undergoing rehabilitation in our Prisons and Drug Rehabilitation Centres," the prime minister noted.
In an interview with Lim published in 2022, Lim, when asked what motivated him to serve for over five decades as a volunteer, said perseverance and commitment to the ideals of public service were what have kept him there for the long haul.
"There’s no reason to stop doing what’s beneficial to society. It’s in my nature to keep working and volunteering, regardless of my age, as I believe in lifelong work," he said.
In his tribute to Lim, PM Wong said that the 98-year-old exemplified a lifetime of service and quiet dedication to others.
"Singapore owes pioneers like him a deep debt of gratitude," he added.
[[nid:735217]]
