Sylvia Lim’s memoir to be published by Epigram Books in 2027

SINGAPORE: Sylvia Lim, who has chaired the Workers’ Party (WP) for over two decades now, is working on her memoir. According to an Instagram post, it will be published by Epigram Books in 2027.

Ms Lim, like Singapore has turned 60 this year.

Her story is part of a series of profiles of people who were born in 1965, as featured in b1965.sg. The project was launched by Tay Kay Chin, who was, as one might have guessed, born in the same year.

It was announced in a b1965 Instagram post on Jul 17 that Ms Lim is working on her life story.

In a comment on the post, Ms Lim noted how meaningful it is to be included in Mr Tay’s collection of profiles, adding, “As we celebrate SG60, it is opportune to reflect on our personal journeys and fascinating to see where our cohort mates have been.”

While those who are interested in knowing more about Ms Lim’s life story will have to wait a couple of years before the book is published, the b1965 interview provides fascinating insights into Ms Lim’s background, including the desire from her youth to be of service to society.

“When it comes to what I want to do in my life or my career choices, it always has to be in terms of contributing to society,” she said, adding a while later that “one of the main slogans of the WP since the 1970s was ‘Towards a caring society.’ That means something to me. It means that the poor and the underprivileged will always have a special place in WP’s agenda.”

Ms Lim, a former police officer and law lecturer, joined the WP in 2001, after reaching out to the then secretary-general, Low Thia Khiang. She was elected party chair in 2003. After having served as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament from 2006 to 2011, she was elected as an MP for Aljunied GRC and is now in her fourth term, representing the Paya Lebar ward.

She also talked briefly in the interview about her husband, Quah Kim Song, one of Singapore’s football greats, saying that one great thing about him is that “he wears his heart on his sleeve.”

The pair got married earlier this year, after more than a dozen years of being together.

When asked to compare her journey with that of Singapore, she said, “Singapore, in the early days, we were finding our way. And now, after 60 years of so-called independence, there are new challenges. So, broadly speaking, I find that it is similar to us as well.” /TISG

Read also: “60 is the new 40” — Sylvia Lim on the important role of older workers