Koh Lip Lin
{{Short description|Singaporean former politician and chemist (1935–2015)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Family name hatnote|Koh|lang=Chinese}}{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Koh Lip Lin
| constituency_MP2 = Nee Soon Constituency
| predecessor2 = Ong Soon Chuan
| successor2 = constituency abolished
| term_start2 = 23 December 1980
| term_end2 = 3 September 1988
| constituency_MP3 = Nee Soon South SMC
| term_start3 = 3 September 1988
| term_end3 = 16 December 1996
| predecessor3 = constituency established
| successor3 = constituency abolished
| birth_date = {{birth date text|1935}}
| death_date = 12 February 2015 (aged 79)
| alma_mater = Boston University
| children = 2
| birth_place = Straits Settlements
| death_place = Singapore
| image = Koh Lip Lin.png
}}
Koh Lip Lin ({{lang-zh|s=高立人}};{{Cite web |title=座谈会：两种语文与道德教育 Forum: Bilingualism And Moral Education |url=https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/audiovisual_records/record-details/48401072-1164-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=www.nas.gov.sg}} 1935 – 12 February 2015) was a Singaporean chemist and former politician. A former member of the People's Action Party (PAP), he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nee Soon Constituency from 1980 to 1988 and the MP for Nee Soon South Single Member Constituency from 1988 to 1996, both of which he served two terms, until they were absorbed by Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency. He also served as the first dean of the Science Faculty for the National University of Singapore (NUS) from 1980 to 1996.{{Cite news |last=Yuen-C |first=Tham |date=14 February 2015 |title=Ex-PAP MP Koh Lip Lin dies |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ex-pap-mp-koh-lip-lin-dies |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}
Early life
Koh was born in 1935. He attended Chung Cheng High School in 1954.{{Cite news |date=12 January 1979 |title=Ahli kimia jadi calon ke 4 PAP |trans-title=Chemist becomes the 4th PAP candidate |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian19790112-1.2.9 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=Berita Harian |pages=1 |language=Malay |via=NewspaperSG}} In 1960, Koh received a Bachelor of Science from Nanyang University and a PhD in Science from the University of Boston.{{Cite news |date=27 August 1991 |title=NEE SOON SOUTH |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19910827-1.2.20.8 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The New Paper |pages=16 |via=NewspaperSG}}
Career
Koh was director of Heeton Holdings until 2012 when he retired.{{Cite web |date=14 February 2015 |title=Ex-PAP MP Koh Lip Lin dies aged 79 |url=https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/ex-pap-mp-koh-lip-lin-dies-aged-79 |access-date=21 March 2024 |website=AsiaOne |language=en}}
= Academic career =
In 1972, Koh was appointed the dean of the College of Science of Nanyang University.{{Cite news |date=14 October 1972 |title=New dean |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newnation19721014-1.2.22 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=New Nation |pages=3 |via=NewspaperSG}} In 1978, Koh joined the People's Action Party (PAP) and was a member of the Estimates Committee of Parliament (from 1979 to 1990) and the Urban and Rural Service Committee (from 1979 to 1988). He stated that before joining, he had previously been asked by the PAP to join in "1970 or 1972".{{Cite news |date=12 January 1979 |title=4TH CANDIDATE A CHEMISTRY DON |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19790112-1.2.52 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Business Times |pages=12 |via=NewspaperSG}}
In the late 1970s to 80s, Koh, along with several others, supported the merging of Nanyang University and the University of Singapore to form the National University of Singapore (NUS).{{Cite news |date=22 March 1980 |title=Two send in views for separate Nantah |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19800322-1.2.43 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=7 |via=NewspaperSG}}
= Political career =
Koh became the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Nee Soon Constituency after the 1980 Singaporean general election where he was elected unopposed.{{Cite news |date=10 February 1979 |title=Page 10 Advertisements Column 2 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19790210-1.2.52.2 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=10 |via=NewspaperSG}}{{Cite news |last=Fong |first=Leslie |date=1 February 1979 |title=TWO PAP MEN IN UNOPPOSED |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19790201-1.2.2 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=1 |via=NewspaperSG}} In 1987, Koh opened the S$5 million Jiemin Primary School.{{Cite news |date=16 April 1987 |title=Koh's date |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19870416-1.2.27.33 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=16 |via=NewspaperSG}} In the 1984 Singaporean general election, Koh remained as the MP representing Nee Soon Constituency after winning 74.24% of the vote against Singapore United Front's (SUF) Quek Teow Chuan's 25.76% of the vote.{{Cite news |date=13 December 1984 |title=Election issues: Big difference in views |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19841213-1.2.32.7 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=19 |via=NewspaperSG}}{{Cite news |date=24 December 1984 |title=SUF candidate blames leader for his defeat |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19841224-1.2.19.4.3 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=12 |via=NewspaperSG}}
During the 1988 Singaporean general election, Koh became the MP representing Nee Soon South Single Member Constituency after winning 64.9% of the votes against Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) Yong Chu Leong with 30.7% and United People's Front's (UPF) Munjeet Singh with 4.39%.{{Cite news |date=4 September 1988 |title=NEE SOON SOUTH |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19880904-1.2.8.23.27 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=8 |via=NewspaperSG}}
In the 1991 Singaporean general election, Koh secured a second term as the MP representing the Nee Soon South Single Member Constituency by winning 52.9% of the vote against SDP's Low Yong Nguan.{{Cite news |date=16 October 1994 |title=Of buses, markets and incense burners |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19941016-1.2.33.1 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=20 |via=NewspaperSG}} In 1996, Koh complained that his branch's library had not been made since it was materialized 10 years ago, asking for a progress report on the Library 2000 project.{{Cite news |date=15 March 1996 |title=2 MPs want libraries built in their wards |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19960315-1.2.39.2.15 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=29 |via=NewspaperSG}}
He retired from politics in 1996 after being an MP since 1979.{{Cite news |date=16 September 1996 |title=Two potential PAP GE candidates seen with BG Lee |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19960916-1.2.8.5 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=3 |via=NewspaperSG}}{{Cite news |date=28 December 1996 |title=18 ex-PAP MPs left political arena this week |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/stoverseas19961228-1.2.6.14 |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Straits Times |pages=5 |via=NewspaperSG}}