Sim Ann: 5 facts on her promotion

A President’s Scholar, she received the scholarship from then-President Ong Teng Cheong at the Istana in 1994. She went on to study at the University of Oxford and graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics (PPE).

She later obtained a master’s degree in political science from Stanford University and a postgraduate diploma in translation and interpretation from Nanyang Technological University.

In 1998, Sim began her career in the civil service at the Ministry of Health, before taking on roles at MHA and MTI.

3. First MP to give birth while in office

Sim was the first MP in Singapore to give birth while in office, welcoming her third child in 2011 during her first term in Parliament.

Other MPs who gave birth while serving in office include former Punggol East MP Lee Li Lian, who welcomed her first child in 2014, and Tin Pei Ling, who welcomed her first child in 2015, shortly before the general elections held that year.

4. Comes from a family of high achievers

Sim also comes from a family of high achievers. Her mother, Choo Lian Liang, was an author and retired Chinese documentary producer.

Choo authored a Chinese book, 追虹, detailing the experiences of four generations of a Chinese family — which then-PM Lee Hsien Loong wrote a review of in a Facebook post, complimenting the “fascinating family history” and “vivid” stories.

The novel was later translated to English by Sim, titled “Chasing Rainbows”.

Sim’s father was a physics lecturer and had celebrated his 85th birthday last year. Her brother, Sim Kai, is also a President’s Scholar, while her sister, Sim Min, was awarded a Monetary Authority of Singapore scholarship.

Her husband, 58-year-old Mok Ying Jang, is CEO of Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital and was also part of the Singapore Mount Everest team in 1998 — two members of the team summited the mountain that year.

Sim is a mother of three, with two of her children aged 19 to 22.

5. Viewed politics as making a difference to people’s lives

In 2011, Sim told The Straits Times that her lessons on politics are founded on her family history. In particular, experiences of her grandfather gave her a “healthy scepticism” of political ideology.

She revealed that her late grandfather, Chu Chi Chok, was banished to China after being branded a leftist by the British colonial government in 1950.

However, in 1958, Chu was labelled a rightist by Chinese communist leaders and was sent to a labour camp in northern China.

He died 10 months later from a heart attack, at the age of 48.

In the interview, Sim reflected: “How does what we do affect people’s lives? That, to me, is politics.”

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