Lam Pin Min (; born 1 September 1969) is a Singaporean
ophthalmologist
Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgery, surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.
An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Followin ...
and politician and who served as
Senior Minister of State for Health and
Senior Minister of State for Transport between 2017 and 2020. A member of the governing
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party (abbreviation: PAP) is a major conservative centre-right political party in Singapore and is one of the three contemporary political parties represented in Parliament, alongside the opposition Workers' Party (WP) and ...
(PAP), he was the
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP) for the Sengkang West division of
Ang Mo Kio GRC between 2006 and 2011, and
Sengkang West SMC
Sengkang West Single Member Constituency was a single member constituency located in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The constituency covers the western area of Sengkang, between Sengkang East Road and Fernvale Road.
In 2011, the constitu ...
between 2011 and 2020.
During the
2020 general election
The following elections were scheduled to occur in 2020. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems maintains a comprehensive list of upcoming elections on its E-Guide Platform. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calend ...
, his four-member PAP team led by
Ng Chee Meng
Ng Chee Meng ( zh, s=黄志明, p=Huáng Zhìmíng; born 8 August 1968) is a Singaporean politician, union leader and former lieutenant-general who has been serving as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress since 2018. A membe ...
lost to the opposition
Workers' Party (WP) team led by
He Tingru
He Ting Ru ( zh, c=何廷儒, p=Hé Tíngrú; born 16 June 1983) is a Singaporean politician and lawyer. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Buangkok division of Sengkang ...
in the newly-created
Sengkang GRC
The Sengkang Group Representation Constituency is a four-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The GRC consists of four divisions: Anchorvale, Rivervale, Buangkok, and Compassvale; Compassvale w ...
.
Education
Lam attended
Anglo-Chinese School and
National Junior College
National Junior College (NJC) is a government Junior college (Singapore), junior college located in Bukit Timah, Singapore. Established in 1969, it was the first government junior college in Singapore. NJC offers a two-year course for pre-univer ...
before graduating from
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, established in 1905, is the first institution of higher learning in Singapore and the genesis of the National University of Singapore. The School is one of many who offer medical programmes in the Asia Pacif ...
at the
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
in 1993.
After completing medical school, Lam joined the
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDE ...
(SAF) as a regular medical officer in 1995. Whilst in service, he obtained his
postgraduate diploma
A postgraduate diploma (PgD, PgDip, PGDip, PG Dip., PGD, Dipl. PG, PDE) is a postgraduate qualification awarded after a university degree, which supplements the original degree and awards them with a graduate diploma. Countries that award postg ...
in
aviation medicine from the
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...
in 1997.
He subsequently went on to become a
fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
in the
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located on ...
and complete a
Master of Medicine
Master of Medicine (MMed) is a postgraduate professional clinical degree awarded by medical schools to physicians following a period of instruction, supervised clinical rotations, and examination. The degree usually takes three years to complete, ...
degree in
ophthalmology
Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.
An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...
at the National University of Singapore in 2000.
Career
Military career
Lam was trained as an
aviation medicine specialist and served the
Republic of Singapore Air Force
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy. It was establish ...
(RSAF) as a medical officer and
flight surgeon
A flight surgeon is a military medical officer practicing in the clinical field of aviation medicine. Although the term "flight surgery" is considered improper by purists, it may occasionally be encountered.
Flight surgeons are physicians ( MD ...
between 1995 and 2003. He held various appointments in the RSAF, including Officer Commanding in an airbase medical centre and Branch Head of the RSAF Aeromedical Centre. He also spent 3 months serving as the medical commander of the Singapore Medical Contingent, serving in the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
Military Hospital in
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...
during pre-independence in 2000.
Private practice
Lam worked as a
pediatric ophthalmologist
Pediatric ophthalmology is a sub-speciality of ophthalmology concerned with eye diseases, visual development, and vision care in children.
Training
In the United States, pediatric ophthalmologists are physicians who have completed medical school, ...
at
KK Women's and Children's Hospital
KK Women's and Children's Hospital (abbreviation: KKH) is the largest public hospital specialising in healthcare for women and children in Singapore, located at 100 Bukit Timah Road.
From its humble beginnings as a small general hospital in 18 ...
,
Singapore National Eye Centre, and Eagle Eye Centre.
Lam sits on the Civil Aviation Medical Board and is the Adviser to the Society of Aviation Medicine, Singapore.
After his electoral defeat in the
2020 general election
The following elections were scheduled to occur in 2020. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems maintains a comprehensive list of upcoming elections on its E-Guide Platform. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calend ...
, Lam joined Eagle Eye Centre as Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Service, and Senior Advisor of Lumens Auto on 1 September and 27 October 2020 respectively.
Political career
Lam made his political debut in the
2006 general election as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in
Ang Mo Kio GRC led by
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
and won 66.1% of the vote.
During the
2011 general election, Lam contested in the newly-created
Sengkang West SMC
Sengkang West Single Member Constituency was a single member constituency located in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The constituency covers the western area of Sengkang, between Sengkang East Road and Fernvale Road.
In 2011, the constitu ...
—which encompasses
Anchorvale and
Fernvale of
Sengkang New Town
Sengkang (, ta, செங்காங்) is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential town located in the North-East Region, Singapore, North-East Region of Singapore. The town is the second most po ...
and won 58.1% of the vote.
In January 2015, Lam was involved in a controversy in which
Build-To-Order (BTO) residents in Fernvale Lea, in his constituency, were not informed of plans to build a
columbarium next to their block. During a meeting with residents, Lam was spotted sitting alongside the contractors, leading to a misunderstanding that he was on their side instead of his residents'. Minister for National Development
Khaw Boon Wan
Khaw Boon Wan (; born 8 December 1952) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Minister for Transport between 2015 and 2020, Minister for National Development between 2011 and 2015, and Minister for Health between 2003 and 2011. A memb ...
later informed Parliament that there will be no commercial columbarium at the site.
During the
2015 general election, Lam contested in
Sengkang West SMC
Sengkang West Single Member Constituency was a single member constituency located in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The constituency covers the western area of Sengkang, between Sengkang East Road and Fernvale Road.
In 2011, the constitu ...
and won 62.1% of the vote.
Lam served as the chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Health between 2009 and 2014, having previously served as the deputy Chairman between 2006 and 2008.
In August 2014, Lam was appointed Minister of State for Health.
Subsequently in May 2017, Lam was appointed Senior Minister of State for Health and Senior Minister of State for Transport.
In February 2018, it was revealed that Lam had sent an appeal letter directly to
State Courts to help his resident, Tang Ling Lee, who was sentenced to one week jail for seriously injuring a motorcyclist in a road traffic accident. The High Court Judge, Justice
See Kee Oon
See Kee Oon (born 1966) is a Singaporean judge who is currently a Judge of the Supreme Court and was the Presiding Judge of the State Courts.
Education
See received a Bachelor of Laws from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1991 a ...
dismissed the appeal, stating that Lam's letter had misrepresented the facts and trivialised the injuries sustained by the rider. This incident led to a furor online with many
netizen
The term netizen is a portmanteau of the English words ''internet'' and '' citizen'', as in a "citizen of the net" or "net citizen". It describes a person actively involved in online communities or the Internet in general. s questioning why Lam, a legislative as well as an executive member of the government, was overstepping his duty by interfering with the judiciary. Such letters should be forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Chambers first.
During the
2020 general election
The following elections were scheduled to occur in 2020. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems maintains a comprehensive list of upcoming elections on its E-Guide Platform. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calend ...
, Lam contested in the newly-created
Sengkang GRC
The Sengkang Group Representation Constituency is a four-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The GRC consists of four divisions: Anchorvale, Rivervale, Buangkok, and Compassvale; Compassvale w ...
—which absorbed
Sengkang West SMC
Sengkang West Single Member Constituency was a single member constituency located in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The constituency covers the western area of Sengkang, between Sengkang East Road and Fernvale Road.
In 2011, the constitu ...
,
Punggol East SMC
Punggol East Single Member Constituency was a single member constituency (SMC) located in the north-eastern area of Singapore.
Following the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review committee report for the 2020 general elections, Punggol East ...
and parts of
Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC
Pasil ( fa, پسيل, also Romanized as Pasīl; also known as Pasīr) is a village in Sepiddasht Rural District, Papi District, Khorramabad County, Lorestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 469, in 92 families.
References ...
but lost. This is the second time the governing PAP had lost a
Group Representation Constituency (GRC) to the opposition since their loss to the Worker's Party in 2011 in
Aljunied GRC.
Personal life
Lam is a
Singaporean Chinese of
Hakka
The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhej ...
descent and has family roots in
Dabu County
Dabu County () is a county in Meizhou City, in the east of Guangdong Province, China. A center of Hakka culture, it has a population of 375,000.
Famous natives
This is the ancestral hometown of 1st Guyana President Arthur Chung even though the ...
,
Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.
He has three siblings; two brothers and a younger sister. Lam is married and has two daughters.
References
External links
lampinmin.sg(now defunct)
Archiveof lampinmin.sg
Lam Pin Minat the Parliament of Singapore website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lam, Pin Min
Members of the Parliament of Singapore
People's Action Party politicians
Singaporean ophthalmologists
National University of Singapore alumni
National Junior College alumni
Anglo-Chinese School alumni
Singaporean people of Hakka descent
People from Dabu
1969 births
Living people