Lily Neo

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Lily Neo

| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-hans|梁莉莉}}}}

| native_name_lang = zh

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| constituency_MP1 = Jalan Besar GRC
(Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng)

| term_start1 = 2015

| term_end1 = 2020

| predecessor1 = Constituency established

| successor1 = Josephine Teo (PAP)

| constituency_MP2 = Tanjong Pagar GRC
(Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng)

| term_start2 = 2011

| term_end2 = 2015

| predecessor2 = Constituency established

| successor2 = Constituency abolished

| constituency_MP3 = Jalan Besar GRC
(Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng)

| term_start3 = 2001

| term_end3 = 2011

| predecessor3 = Constituency established

| successor3 = Constituency abolished

| constituency_MP4 = Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC
(Kim Seng)

| term_start4 = 1997

| term_end4 = 2001

| predecessor4 = Constituency established

| successor4 = Constituency abolished

| constituency =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1953|08|12}}

| birth_place = Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| restingplace =

| restingplacecoordinates =

| birthname = Lily Tirtasana

| citizenship = Singapore

| nationality = Indonesian

| party = People's Action Party
(1982–2020)

| otherparty =

| spouse = Dr Ben Neo

| partner =

| relations =

| children = 2

| parents =

| residence =

| education =

| alma_mater = Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (MBBS)

| occupation =

| profession = Medical practitioner

| cabinet =

| committees =

| portfolio =

| religion =

}}{{Family name hatnote|Neo|lang=Chinese}}

Lily Neo (née Tirtasana; {{zh|t=梁莉莉|s=梁莉莉|poj=Niô͘ Lī-lī|p=Liáng Lìlì}}; born 12 August 1953) is a Singaporean medical practitioner and former People's Action Party politician. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) between 1997 and 2020.{{Cite web|last=Mohamed|first=Irshath|date=2020-06-29|title=Singapore GE2020: Josephine Teo to head PAP's Jalan Besar GRC team|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/singapore-ge2020-josephine-teo-to-head-paps-jalan-besar-grc-team|access-date=2020-06-29|website=The Straits Times}}

Early life and education

An Indonesian Chinese, Neo was born in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia on 12 August 1953. She studied at Primary Thamrin Methodist School in Medan between 1961 and 1969 before attending Methodist High School in Penang.

She subsequently went on to complete a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1980.

Career

After completing medical school, Neo has been a self-employed medical practitioner since 1981, where she also became a member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP).{{cite web|publisher=Parliament of Singapore|title=Dr Lily Neo|url=https://www.parliament.gov.sg/mps/list-of-current-mps/mp/details/lily-neo|access-date=25 November 2019}}

Neo made her political debut in the 1997 general election and won. She was elected into Parliament as the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Kim Seng ward of Kreta Ayer–Tanglin GRC.

During the 2001 general election, Neo was part of the five-member PAP team contesting in Jalan Besar GRC and won 74.49% of the vote against the opposition Singapore Democratic Alliance. She was elected into Parliament again as the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng ward of Jalan Besar GRC.

During the 2006 general election, Neo was part of the five-member PAP team contesting in Jalan Besar GRC and won 69.26% of the vote against the opposition Singapore Democratic Alliance.

During the 2011 general election, she was part of the five-member PAP team contesting in Tanjong Pagar GRC and won an uncontested walkover.{{cite news |url=https://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110427-275899.html |title=GE 2011: Election battleground laid out |work=AsiaOne |date=27 April 2011 |access-date=10 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610065341/http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110427-275899.html |archive-date=10 June 2015 |url-status=live }}

During the 2015 general election, Neo was part of the four-member PAP team contesting in Jalan Besar GRC and won 67.75% of the vote against the opposition Workers' Party.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}.

Neo served as the chairperson of Tanjong Pagar Town Council between 2011 and 2015 and chairperson of Jalan Besar Town Council between 2015 and 2020.{{cite web|publisher=Singapore Government |title= Tanjong Pagar Town Council |url=http://app.sgdi.gov.sg/listing.asp?agency_subtype=dept&agency_id=0000004567 |date=1 July 2015}}

She was also Deputy Chairperson for the Social and Family Development Government Parliamentary Committee{{cite web |publisher=People's Action Party |title=12th Parliament Of Singapore Government Parliamentary Committees |url=https://www.pap.org.sg/about-pap/whos-who/govt_parliamentary |date=1 July 2015 |access-date=1 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033828/https://www.pap.org.sg/about-pap/whos-who/govt_parliamentary |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }} and Member of the Parliament House Committee and Transport Government Parliamentary Committee.

She previously served as the chairperson for various Government Parliamentary Committees and Treasurer for PAP Women's Wing,{{cite web|publisher=People's Action Party Women's Wing|title=Milestones|url=https://www.pap.org.sg/womens-wing/milestones.html|date=1 July 2015|access-date=1 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100702/https://www.pap.org.sg/womens-wing/milestones.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} and has supported social measures to support the low-income, particularly the elderly and young children.{{cite news|url=http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/intervene-early-help-needy-children-lily-neo |title=Intervene early to help needy children: Lily Neo|work=Today|location=Singapore|author=Ashley Chia |date=17 September 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=540 |title=Dr Lily Neo speaks out vociferously over aid for poorest households |date=27 August 2008 |author=Ng E-Jay |work=Sgpolitics.net |type=blog |access-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219222847/http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=540 |archive-date=19 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}

Neo retired from politics in July 2020 before the 2020 general election.

Personal life

Neo is married to Dr Ben Neo, a obstetrician and gynaecologist.{{cite web |url=http://sg.asiatatler.com/300list/ben-neo |title=Profile | SG Tatler |publisher=Sg.asiatatler.com |access-date=2016-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923114508/http://sg.asiatatler.com/300list/ben-neo |archive-date=2014-09-23 |url-status=dead }} They have two children, both medical doctors. Their daughter, Dr Elaine Kim, is a palliative doctor and entrepreneur. Neo is a Christian and enjoys playing the piano, swimming and reading.{{cite web|publisher=People's Action Party |url=http://ge.pap.org.sg/candidate/lilyneo |title=Lily Tirtasana Neo |access-date=24 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200332/http://ge.pap.org.sg/candidate/lilyneo |archive-date=29 October 2013 }}{{cite web |url=http://e.koreanpress.net/detail.php?number=1105&thread=22r14r02 |title=15 Years Member of Parliament Dr. Lily Neo |work=Korean Press |date=24 April 2012 |access-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701125801/http://e.koreanpress.net/detail.php?number=1105&thread=22r14r02 |archive-date=1 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}