WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim to publish memoir with Epigram Books in 2027
SINGAPORE – Workers' Party chairwoman and MP for Aljunied GRC Sylvia Lim will publish her memoirs with Epigram Books, expected to hit major bookstores in the second half of 2027.
The agreement between Ms Lim and the home-grown publisher – an imprint of the newly formed non-profit Epigram Literary Foundation – was signed in recent weeks.
A book title is as yet not forthcoming, with writing still in its preliminary stages. But the surprise memoir is expected to offer a rare glimpse into the mind of one of Singapore's pioneer women in opposition politics – a police inspector and lawyer turned self-professed proud 'Mama Bear' heading a slate of WP female candidates at the recent general election.
On her decision to ink the deal, Ms Lim said: 'There has been interest from several quarters about the paths I have walked and the places I have been, as well as the people who made me whole.
'As I turn 60 this year, it feels right to start to reflect on my experiences of life, vocation and love which, hopefully, will be meaningful not just now, but also for posterity.'
The 14-year MP has struck a more mellow note of late, brandishing her PAssion Silver Concession Card at a WP rally in April to cheers – 'The last time I stood on this stage, I still had black hair.'
To a question on WP's party leadership succession during a press conference in the same month, she had said: 'I would say that when the time comes for me, personally, to step down as chairperson, I won't be sorry.'
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore 2 workers stranded on gondola dangling outside Raffles City Tower rescued by SCDF
Asia Japan PM Ishiba vows to take responsibility for election loss, to stay in office to deal with US tariff talks
Business $1.1 billion allocated to three fund managers to boost Singapore stock market: MAS
Singapore Proof & Company Spirits closes Singapore distribution business
Life Travel Journal: Safari tourism with a side of moral crisis
Singapore Mandai Wildlife Group group CEO Mike Barclay to retire; Bennett Neo named as successor
Singapore Jail, caning for man who held metal rod to cashier's neck in failed robbery attempt
Singapore Fresh charge for woman who harassed nurse during pandemic, created ruckus at lion dance competition
Mr Edmund Wee, founder of Epigram Books, said he also specifically requested that Ms Lim include
her relationship with former national footballer Quah Kim Song , whom she had dated for 12 years before their church wedding in January 2025.
The publisher got in touch with Ms Lim through a mutual friend and had tried cajoling her for the project as early as 2021 during the coronavirus lockdown period, with satisfaction delayed till now.
Mr Wee said: 'Sylvia Lim's achievements and life should be an inspiration to Singaporeans, especially to all the young women out there.'
Few senior leaders from WP, Singapore's most successful opposition party post-independence, have put their thoughts to the page.
Former secretary-general of WP J.B Jeyaretnam hawked his own books on the streets after being declared bankrupt and losing his seat, including The Hatchet Man Of Singapore, published in 2003.
The most recent and probably most well-known is WP member and former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong's
Journey In Blue: A Peek Into The Workers' Party Of Singapore (2020). Among other revelations, it disclosed that former WP chief Low Thia Khiang had begun planning to step down as early as 2016 following an intra-party leadership challenge, rather than in 2020 after a fall at home as commonly assumed.
Ms Lim was a law lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic specialising in civil and criminal procedures when she was elected WP's first woman chairperson in 2003 and led a team to become the 'best losers' in the contest for Aljunied GRC in 2006.
After a stint as NCMP from 2006 to 2011, she was part of the team that won Aljunied GRC for WP in 2011. She will begin her fourth term when Parliament reconvenes on Sept 5.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- Straits Times
3 gunmen involved in Indian Kashmir tourist attack killed in military operation
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Indian paramilitary soldiers standing guard on July 28 at a check post near the site of a gunfight on the outskirts of Srinagar, India. NEW DELHI – Indian security forces have killed three gunmen who were involved in an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir , Home Minister Amit Shah said on July 29. The heavily-armed men were killed in a military operation on July 28, more than three months after 26 people were gunned down in a popular resort town of Indian Kashmir on April 22. 'I want to tell the Parliament (that) those who attacked in Baisaran were three terrorists and all three have been killed,' he said. Mr Shah identified two of the three killed as members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist group based in Pakistan. 'Indian security agencies have detailed evidence of their involvement in the attack,' he said in a speech in the Lower House of Parliament. The July 28 operation took place in the mountains of Dachigam, around 30km from the disputed region's main city of Srinagar, the army said in a statement. The attack in April saw gunmen burst out of forests near Pahalgam and rake crowds of visitors with automatic weapons. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD Singapore 3 taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help Singapore Doctor who forged certificates for aesthetic procedures gets 4 months' jail Life Alone but not lonely: Tips from seniors who live solo and like it Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Singapore How can we cope with rising temperatures? Share your ideas at The Fashion Pulpit with ST Podcasts All those killed were listed as residents of India, except one man from Nepal. India accused Pakistan of backing the attackers, a charge Islamabad denied, sparking an intense four-day conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals in May that killed more than 70 people on both sides. Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947, and the neighbours – who both claim the region in full – have fought two wars and several conflicts over its control. AFP
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Cambodia-Thailand truce a ‘very significant' Asean breakthrough, says Prabowo at meeting with Anwar
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at a dinner in Mr Prabowo's residence in South Jakarta, on July 28. JAKARTA – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto hailed the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand as a 'very significant' breakthrough for Asean diplomacy, as he met Asean chair and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on July 29 for their long-delayed bilateral consultation in Jakarta. In a closed-door meeting at the presidential palace, the two leaders discussed a wide range of strategic issues, from regional security to bilateral disputes. Both agreed that dialogue and consensus must remain the foundation of Asean cooperation. The last such consultation took place in 2017, and further meet-ups were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as political transitions in Malaysia. Indonesia's foreign ministry described the revived meeting as 'a timely opportunity for both leaders to provide direction for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the future'. Mr Prabowo opened the meeting by commending Datuk Seri Anwar's leadership, particularly Malaysia's role in mediating a truce on July 28 between Cambodia and Thailand following deadly clashes along their shared border. 'First of all, I would like to extend my congratulations on the leadership of Datuk Seri (Anwar) in leading Asean. You succeeded in mediating and securing a ceasefire in the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. This is something we are grateful for,' Mr Prabowo said. At least 38 people – most of them civilians – have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced since violence broke out on July 24 . Mr Prabowo added that Indonesia stood ready to support Malaysia's efforts. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD Singapore 3 taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help Life Alone but not lonely: Tips from seniors who live solo and like it Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Asia India road crash kills 18 Hindu pilgrims Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang 'Thank you. This is a breakthrough, a very significant one. We want Asean to always resolve conflicts through peaceful means, through consultation, deliberation and negotiation,' he said. Mr Anwar, who is in Jakarta for the 13th Annual Consultation between the two countries, underlined that maintaining peace in the region is a shared responsibility. He said Asean member countries – especially Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines – will be 'responsible for monitoring the peace process'. A statement from the Indonesian presidential secretariat described the meeting as a milestone in strengthening bilateral ties and reaffirming the two countries' commitment to regional peace and prosperity. The Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire, which took effect at midnight on July 29, followed talks in Putrajaya, Malaysia, between Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Both sides agreed to halt hostilities, restore direct communication and create a mechanism to monitor the truce. More on this topic Cambodia says immediate ceasefire is purpose of talks; Thailand questions its sincerity Despite the ongoing tensions to the north, the meeting between Mr Prabowo and Mr Anwar largely focused on bilateral priorities between the two countries. These included longstanding issues such as maritime boundaries and labour rights, which both leaders said should be resolved through peaceful means. 'In essence, we want to resolve all issues through consultation, negotiation and consensus,' said Mr Prabowo. 'I believe that is our principle -– especially since we are countries with similar backgrounds, cultures, religion and shared roots.' Mr Anwar is also scheduled to deliver a policy address at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta on July 29, where he will outline Malaysia's key priorities for its Asean chairmanship in 2025.
AsiaOne
an hour ago
- AsiaOne
Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — A volatile global landscape arising from developments like the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to drive the high terrorism threat in Singapore, said the Internal Security Department (ISD). It released its annual report on terrorism on July 29, saying terrorist organisations have exploited situations like the one in Gaza to spread their propaganda, using them to reinforce their violent narratives. ISD said ISIS and Al-Qaeda have incited attacks against Israeli and Jewish interests, and those of countries seen as supporting Israel. This has corresponded with an increase in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide and in Islamophobia overseas, it added. ISD said there is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore. But the country continues to be viewed as an attractive target by terrorists because of its friendly relations with Western nations and Israel, and its status as a secular and multicultural state. Since its last report in July 2024, ISD has dealt with eight self-radicalised Singaporeans: six males and two females aged 15 to 56. Four of them had been influenced by the re-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people. Of the other four cases, two were radicalised by pro-ISIS extremist ideologies and two by violent far-right extremism. ISD warned that ISIS is resilient and remains one of the world's largest Islamist terrorist organisations. It has cash reserves of around $12.9 million and has between 1,500 and 3,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria. The department added that far-right extremism ideologies has gained ground in Singapore, especially among the youth. Since 2020, there have been four youths who have been dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for subscribing to such ideologies. Two of them, aged 18 and 17, had been self-radicalised separately after becoming inspired by the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019. The shooter, Brenton Tarrant, murdered 51 Muslims and livestreamed the killings. Both teens idolised Tarrant and identified as East Asian supremacists, believing in the superiority of Chinese, Korean and Japanese ethnicities. The 17-year-old had identified five mosques in Jurong West, Clementi, Margaret Drive, Admiralty Road and Beach Road as potential targets and planned to kill at least 100 Muslims as they were leaving after Friday prayers. He had been influenced by anti-Semitic content online and fantasised about killing Jews, but did not have any concrete attack plans. An increasing variety of online platforms used by youth in self-radicalisation cases here is also of concern, said ISD. It added that self-radicalisation remains a key domestic terrorism threat, with 60 self-radicalised people issued orders under the ISA since 2015. Of these, 48 were Singaporeans. Singapore adopts a whole-of-society approach to counter extremism, combining preventive measures such as public outreach with rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. ISD works with government agencies and grassroots and community partners to conduct outreach across different segments of society, to raise public awareness on the threat of terrorism and online radicalisation. It stressed the importance of knowing how to spot signs of radicalisation and the need to report at-risk individuals early. Some of these signs include expressing support for terrorist groups online, frequent surfing of radical websites and making remarks that promote ill-will or hatred towards people of other races, religions or communities. ISD said public vigilance is critical to combating the terrorism threat, and early reporting enables the person to receive timely help. This maximises the chances of the individual's successful rehabilitation before he or she becomes more deeply rooted in radical ideologies. Since 2002, ISD has issued ISA orders against 148 Singaporeans for terrorism-related conduct. Of these, 102 were issued orders of detention, while 46 were issued restriction orders. Of those detained, about four out of five detainees had made good progress in their rehabilitation, leading to 85 of them being released. Of those issued with restriction orders, 39 have had their orders lapse. ISD said most of these Singaporeans have found stable jobs since their release. It said countering terrorism is everyone's responsibility. 'The ever-evolving threat of terrorism is real and demands unwavering vigilance, cooperation and resilience from every sector of society,' said ISD. It added that 'every action taken, every report made and every initiative launched' bring Singapore one step closer to a safer, more united nation. Members of the public are encouraged to take part in the SGSecure movement and learn how to spot suspicious behaviours and signs of radicalisation, and how to respond if caught in a terror attack. Anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised should contact the ISD hotline on 1800-2626-473 or e-mail isd@ [[nid:714509]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
