Sim Ann
Sim Ann ( Hanzi:沈颖; Pinyin: Shěn Yǐng; born 12 March 1975) is a Singaporean politician from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and a former civil servant. She has been the Senior Minister of State for National Development since 2020 and the Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs since 2021. She has also been the MP for the Bukit Timah division of Holland–Bukit Timah GRC since 2011.
 | |
| Sim Ann 沈颖; | |
|---|---|
| Party Affiliation | PAP 
|
| Current Role | • MP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC • |
| Past Roles | • Pending • |
| Others | • Pending • Pending |
| Background | |
| Education | • Pending • • • |
| Personal Details | |
| Age | 50 |
| Others | Pending |
Sim received the President's Scholarship and started her career in several government offices, such as the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
For the full list of positions, see PARL link.
Education
Sim received her early education at Raffles Girls' School and Hwa Chong Junior College before obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Exeter College at the University of Oxford in 1997. The degree was promoted to Master of Arts based on seniority) in philosophy, politics, and economy (PPE).
She furthered her studies and earned a Master of Arts in political science from the University of Stanford in 1998. In 2005, she obtained her postgraduate diploma in translation and interpretation from Nanyang Technological University.
Career
Early career in civil service
Sim began her career as a civil servant. From 1998 to 2000, she was the Assistant Director for Finance Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Health. Later, she became the Assistant Director for Implementation Planning at the Ministry of Home Affairs from 2000 to 2003. She moved to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and became the Deputy Director for Trade.
From 2007 to 2009, Sim was assigned to the International Enterprise Singapore as the Regional Director based in Shanghai. She led a team that helped Singapore-based firms with investment and sales in Eastern China.
She later became the Director of the National Population Secretariat and, from 2009 to 2011, led its restructuring into the National Population and Talent Division under the Prime Minister's Office.
Political career
Sim entered politics when she was included in a four-member PAP team representing Holland-Bukit Timah GRC in the 2011 general election. The team secured 60.08 percent of the votes against the Democratic Party. Sim was appointed an MP representing the Bukit Timah ward of Holland–Bukit Timah GRC. On 21 May 2011, she was promoted to the Senior Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Law and Education. On 1 November 2012, she was appointed the Senior Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Communication and Information while holding her appointment at the Ministry of Education. A year later, she was promoted to the Minister of State and continued her duty at the Ministry of Education and Communication and Information.
She joined a four-member PAP team contesting in the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC again in the 2020 election. The team won the election by gaining 66.36 percent of the votes against Singapore's Democratic Party. On 27 July 2020, Sim was appointed the Senior Minister at the Ministry of National Development and Communication and Information. On 15 May 2021, she released her appointment at the Ministry of Communication and Information. She became the Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs while continuing her duty as the Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of National Development.
Personal life
Sim is married and has one son and one daughter. Her husband is Mok Ying Jang, a doctor and Operational Deputy at the Healthcare National Polyclinic Group. Mok was one of the team members who climbed Mount Everest in 1998.
Controversies
Sim Ann faced criticism for not respecting a performer during the live performance in the WWF Earth Hour in 2023. Sim was seen standing at the front row and shaking hands with other attendees, blocking the view of other guests while the singer was singing on stage.[1]
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