Mah Bow Tan

This biographical article is written like a résumé. Please by revising it to be neutral and encyclopedic. (June 2021)

Honourable Minister Mah Bow Tan
马宝山
Mah Bow Tan at the World Economic Forum Global Redesign Summit 2010 in Doha, Qatar
Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC (Tampines East)
In office 3 September 1988 – 11 September 2015
Preceded by	newly created seat
Succeeded by	Cheng Li Hui
Minister for Communications
In office 1 September 1991 – 3 June 1999 Acting:1 July 1991 - 31 August 1991
Minister for the Environment
In office 1 July 1993 – 16 April 1995
Minister for National Development
In office 3 June 1999 – 20 May 2011
Preceded by	Lim Hng Kiang
Succeeded by	Khaw Boon Wan
Personal details
Born	(1948-09-12) 12 September 1948 (age 72)
Nationality	Singaporean
Political party	People's Action Party (1984)
Spouse(s)	Sheryn Kaye Von Senden
Children	4
Alma mater	University of New South Wales

Mah Bow Tan (simplified Chinese: 马宝山; traditional Chinese: 馬寶山; pinyin: Mǎ Bǎoshān, born 12 September 1948) is a Singaporean businessman and former politician. He retired from politics in 2015 and now currently is the chairman of Global Yellow Pages.

A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Tampines GRC from 1988 to 2015. He was a member of the Cabinet from 1991 to 2011, serving as the Minister for Communications (1991–99), Minister for the Environment (1993–95) and Minister for National Development (1999–2011). He served as Deputy Leader of the House from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2007 and as Leader of the House from 1 April 2007 to 30 May 2011.He was a Member of Parliament of Tampines GRC from 3 September 1998 to 25 August 2015 for almost 27 years.

Career[]

Mah began his career at the Singapore Bus Service (SBS) from 1973 to 1983, rising to become its general manager. He was then seconded to Singapore News and Publications Ltd (SNPL) as the chief executive officer of the Singapore Monitor newspaper. From 1985 to 1988, he served as the Group General Manager of SNPL and Group General Manager (Co-ordination) of Singapore Press Holdings Ltd.^[1]

Political career[]

Mah entered politics at the 1984 general election, when he stood unsuccessfully in the constituency of Potong Pasir, where he was defeated by Chiam See Tong of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was thought to have played a role in Mah's defeat, having been seen as being unnecessarily dismissive in comparing Chiam's average GCE Ordinary Level results to Mah's stellar academic achievements.^[2]

In 1988, Mah was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Tampines GRC, winning 61% of the vote. He was re-elected as an MP for Tampines GRC at the 1991 general election with 59.48% of the vote, and by walkover at the 1997 general election. At the 2001 general election, he was re-elected with 73.34% of the vote over the slate from the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA). At the 2006 general election, he was re-elected with 68.51% of the votes over the SDA. At the 2011 general election, he was re-elected with 57.22% of the votes against the National Solidarity Party.

In 1990, Mah was appointed a Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Communications by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. He was appointed Acting Minister for Communications in 1991, concurrently holding the post of Minister of State for Trade and Industry.

Mah served as Singapore's Minister for Communications from 1991 to 1999. He concurrently served as the Minister for the Environment from 1993 to 1995. He was appointed Minister for National Development in 1999 and served until 2011. He also served as Deputy Leader of the House in the Parliament of Singapore from 2002 to 2007, and as Leader of the House from 2007 to 2011. He retired from Cabinet in 2011 after the general elections^[3] and retired from politics in 2015 without contesting the 2015 general election.^[4]

Mah has also held several other public service positions, including chairman of the board of directors NTUC Comfort from 1983 to 1986; chairman of the National Productivity Board, National Productivity Council and Skills Redevelopment Fund Advisory Council; chairman of the board of governors of the Singapore Institute of Labour Studies from 1990 to 2002; and president of the Football Association of Singapore from 1999 to 2004.^[1]

Post-political career[]

After stepping down from the government cabinet, Mah Bow Tan was appointed as an independent director and non-executive chairman at Global Yellow Pages in September 2011.^[5][6]

Education[]

Mah was educated at St. Michael's School (now known as St. Joseph's Institution Junior) and St. Joseph's Institution.^[1] He then received the President's Scholarship and Colombo Plan Scholarship to study at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia, where he graduated in 1971 with first class honours in industrial engineering, winning the University Medal (the prize for the top student in each department). He also completed a Master of Engineering in Operations Research at UNSW in 1973. (He was awarded an honorary doctorate by UNSW in 2001.)^[1]

Personal life[]

Mah is married to Dr. Sheryn Kaye Von Senden. The couple has two sons and two daughters.^[7]

Mah is a passionate soccer fan. He also enjoys travelling, photography and golf.^[1]

The Flower Dome and Heritage Garden have named the dendrobium Mah Bow Tan in his honour.^[8]

References[]

External links[]

• Mah Bow Tan at parliament.gov.sg