Mah Bow Tan 
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Dummipedia, the simplified free online encyclopedia
Mah Bow Tan (born 1948, age 61) is the Minister for National Development of Singapore. He broke into the political scene after impressing the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew with his business judgement while working closely together in trying to get the Singapore Monitor, a now-defunct newspaper, to compete against The Straits Times in the 1980s.
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| Mah Bow Tan | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office June 3, 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Lim Hng Kiang |
| Constituency | Tampines GRC |
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| In office September 1991 – June 3, 1999 | |
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| In office July 1993 – April 1995 | |
| Born | September 12, 1948 (aged 61) Singapore |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Spouse | Dr Sheryn Kaye Von Senden |
| Children | 2 sons and 2 daughters |
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2. Born in Singapore, Mah received the President's and Colombo Plan scholarships to study at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), graduating with a First Class Honours degree in Industrial Engineering in 1971, and winning the University Medal, the prize for the top student in each department. In 1973, he undertook a Master of Engineering degree in Operations Research, and was later awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of New South Wales in 2001.
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3. Also in 1973, Mah started his career at the Singapore Bus Service (SBS) and was subsequently promoted to General Manager. He was seconded to the Singapore News and Publications Ltd (SNPL) as the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Monitor in 1983. It was while working in the Singapore Monitor that Mah's break into politics came about. Working closely with Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in trying to get the Singapore Monitor to compete against The Straits Times, Lee was to recall more than a decade later in 2000:
Half way through he told me: "Look, we can't. It will lose because of the grip of the Straits Times on all sources of news. They have bought all the agencies, all the cartoons, everything. You can't beat them." I decided this man has judgement! — Singapore Government Media Release
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4. In the 1984 general election, Prime Minister Lee fielded Mah in Potong Pasir but Mah lost to opposition politician Chiam See Tong, garnering only 39.72% of the votes. Consequentially, he became the Group General Manager and Group General Manager (Co-ordination) of Singapore Press Holdings in 1985 until 1988 when he finally broke into the political scene after being elected one of three Members of Parliament (MP) for the Tampines Group Representation Constituency. Mah has retained the same seat ever since (as of 2008). Since then, he has held several important ministerial positions, including Minister for Trade and Industry, Minister for Communications, Minister for the Environment, and most currently, Minister for National Development. Politics aside, Mah has also held many public service positions, including Chairman of NTUC Comfort from 1983 to 1986, as well as Chairman of the National Productivity Board, National Productivity Council, Skills Redevelopment Fund Advisory Council and the former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Singapore Institute of Labour Studies from 1990 to 2002. more... at Wikipedia
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