Lee Boon Yang

李文献Minister for Information, Communications and the ArtsIn office
12 May 2003 – 1 April 2009Prime MinisterGoh Chok Tong
Lee Hsien LoongSecond MinisterVivian Balakrishnan
(2006–2008)Preceded byDavid Lim Tik EnSucceeded byLui Tuck YewMinister for DefenceIn office
2 July 1994 – 1 August 1995Prime MinisterGoh Chok TongPreceded byYeo Ning HongSucceeded byTony TanMinister for ManpowerIn office
2 January 1992 – 12 May 2003Prime MinisterGoh Chok TongPreceded byLee Yock SuanSucceeded byNg Eng HenMinister in the Prime Minister's OfficeIn office
1 July 1991 – 2 January 1992Prime MinisterGoh Chok TongParty Whip of the People's Action PartyIn office
13 September 1988 – 31 March 2007Preceded byLee Yiok SengSucceeded byLim Swee SayMember of the Singapore Parliament
for Jalan Besar GRC
(Jalan Besar)In office
3 September 1988 – 18 April 2011Preceded byHimself (Jalan Besar)Succeeded byEdwin Tong (Moulmein-Kallang GRC - Jalan Besar)Member of the Singapore Parliament
for Jalan BesarIn office
22 December 1984 – 17 August 1988Preceded byChan Chee SengSucceeded byHimself (Jalan Besar GRC - Jalan Besar) Personal detailsBorn (1947-10-01) 1 October 1947 (age 76)
Colony of SingaporePolitical partyPeople's Action Party
(1984–2011)SpouseYap Mee MeeChildren1RelativesLee Boon Wang (brother)
Chua Mia Tee (brother-in-law)Alma materUniversity of Queensland (BVSc)

Lee Boon Yang (Chinese: 李文献; pinyin: Lǐ Wénxiàn; born 1 October 1947) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts between 2003 and 2009, Minister for Manpower between 1992 and 2003, and Minister for Defence between 1994 and 1995. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Jalan Besar ward of Jalan Besar GRC between 1984 and 2011.

Lee retired from politics in 2011, and served as Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings between 2011 and 2022.

Education

Lee was awarded a Colombo Plan scholarship to study veterinary science at the University of Queensland, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree in 1971.^[1]

In 2015, Lee was conferred an honorary doctorate by the University of Queensland.^[1]

Career

Lee began his career as a veterinary surgeon and worked as a research and development officer in the Singapore Government's Primary Production Department between 1972 and 1981.

Lee subsequently worked at the US Feed Grains Council as Assistant Regional Director and later Senior Project Manager for Primary Industries Enterprise between 1981 and 1984.^[2]

Political career

Lee was first elected into Parliament in 1984.

He was subsequently appointed Parliamentary Secretary in 1985, and went on to hold positions in the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Communications and Information, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Lee was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Office in 1991. He served as Minister for Labour between 1992 and 2003. He also served as Minister for Defence between 1994 and 1995 concurrently. He was subsequently appointed Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts in 2003, where he served until 2009.

Lee resigned from the Cabinet in 2009 but remained as a Member of Parliament on the backbenches until his retirement from politics in 2011.^{[citation needed]}

Post-political career

Lee was appointed Chairman of the Board of Keppel Corporation in 2009, after resigning from the Cabinet, where he served until 2021.^[3][4][5]

He also served as Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings between 2011 and 2022, before he was succeeded by Christopher Lim.^[6][7]

Personal life

Lee has an elder brother Lee Boon Wang, a landscape painter and a sister Lee Boon Ngan.^[8]

Lee is married to Yap Mee Mee and they have a daughter.^[9]

References

Political offices
Preceded by Lee Yock Suan as Minister for Labour	Minister for Labour 2 January 1992 – 31 March 1998	Succeeded by Ng Eng Hen as Acting Minister for Manpower
	Minister for Manpower 1 April 1998 – 12 May 2003
Preceded by Yeo Ning Hong	Minister for Defence 2 July 1994 – 1 August 1995	Succeeded by Tony Tan Keng Yam
Preceded by David Lim Tik En	Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts 12 May 2003 – 1 April 2009	Succeeded by Lui Tuck Yew