Lee Chiaw Meng
李昭铭
Minister for Science and Technology
In office
2 June 1975 – 31 December 1976
Prime MinisterLee Kuan Yew
Preceded byToh Chin Chye
Succeeded byJek Yeun Thong
Minister for Education
In office
16 September 1972 – 1 June 1975
Prime MinisterLee Kuan Yew
Preceded byLim Kim San
Succeeded byToh Chin Chye
Minister of State for Education
In office
1970–1972
MinisterLim Kim San
Parliamentary Secretary for Education
In office
3 May 1968 – 10 August 1970
MinisterOng Pang Boon
Lim Kim San
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Tanah Merah SMC
In office
13 December 1980 – 4 December 1984
Succeeded byIbrahim Othman (PAP)
Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Farrer Park SMC
In office
13 April 1968 – 6 December 1976
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born(1937-02-28)28 February 1937
Singapore, Straits Settlements
Died23 May 2001(2001-05-23) (aged 64)
Singapore
Cause of deathDuodenum cancer
Political partyPeople's Action Party
SpouseLynn Lee
Children5
Alma materUniversity of Malaya (BEng)
University of London (PhD)

Lee Chiaw Meng (Chinese: 李昭铭; pinyin: Lǐ Zhāomíng; 28 February 1937 – 23 May 2001) was a Singaporean politician who served as Minister of Education between 1972 and 1975, and Minister of Science and Technology between 1975 and 1976.[1] A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Farrer Park SMC between 1968 and 1976, and Tanah Merah SMC between 1980 and 1984.

Early life and education

Lee was educated at Catholic High School[2] and Chung Cheng High School before graduating from the University of Malaya in 1960 with a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

After graduation, Lee worked in the Public Works Department as an engineer until 1961.

He subsequently went on complete a PhD in engineering at the University of London in 1965. Upon returning to Singapore, Lee joined Singapore Polytechnic as a lecturer in civil engineering.[3]

Political career

Lee made his political debut in the 1968 general election as a PAP candidate contesting in Farrer Park SMC and won 84.91% of the vote.[4]

Lee contested in Farrer Park SMC again during the 1972 general election and won 73.8% of the vote.[5] During the 1976 general election, Lee contested in Farrer Park SMC and won by an uncontested walkover.[6] In the 1980 general election, when Farrer Park SMC was abolished,[7] Lee contested Tanah Merah SMC and won by an uncontested walkover.[8]

In 1972, Lee was appointed Minister of Education and was tasked to overhaul the school and university system. In 1975, in a bid to clear political and cultural obstacles, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew appointed Lee as Vice-Chancellor of Nanyang University, taking over from Hsueh Shou Sheng.[9] Lee only served as Vice-Chancellor from March 1975 to August 1976 after failing to convert the Chinese-medium Nanyang University into an English-language university, as required by Lee. From 1975 to 1976, Lee briefly served as Minister for Science and Technology.

In 1984, Lee left politics and started his own engineering firm, Dr. Lee Chiaw Meng & Associates.[7]

Personal life

Lee was married to Lyn Lee and they had three sons and two daughters.

He was diagnosed with duodenum cancer in 1999 and died from it on 23 May 2001 at the age of 64.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Chiaw Meng dropped". The Straits Times. 31 December 1976. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Past Presidents". Archived from the original on 28 July 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  3. ^ "envoy to U.S. is among the new". The Straits Times. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  4. ^ "1968 PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS". Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  5. ^ "FARRER PARK". Archived from the original on 22 May 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  6. ^ "FARRER PARK". Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  7. ^ a b c "Dr Lee dies". Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  8. ^ "TANAH MERAH". Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  9. ^ Lysa Hong; Jianli Huang (2008). The Scripting of a National History: Singapore and Its Pasts. NUS Press. p. 134. ISBN 978-9971-69-433-3.
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