Tay Eng Soon | |
Native Name Lang: | zh-hant |
Birth Name: | Tay Eng Soon |
Birth Date: | 1940 1, df=y |
Birth Place: | Singapore, Straits Settlements |
Death Place: | Singapore |
Nationality: | Singaporean |
Education: | Anglo-Chinese School |
Alma Mater: | University of Bristol (BS) University College London (PhD) University of Singapore |
Office: | Senior Minister of State for Education |
Term Start: | 13 September 1988 |
Term End: | 5 August 1993 |
Primeminister: | Lee Kuan Yew Goh Chok Tong |
Minister: | Tony Tan Goh Keng Swee |
Office1: | Minister of State for Communications and Information |
Term Start1: | 2 January 1985 |
Term End1: | 17 February 1986 |
Primeminister1: | Lee Kuan Yew |
Minister1: | Yeo Ning Hong |
Office2: | Minister of State for Education |
Term Start2: | 1 April 1981 |
Term End2: | 12 September 1988 |
Primeminister2: | Lee Kuan Yew |
Minister2: | Tony Tan |
Constituency Mp3: | Eunos GRC (Tampines North) |
Parliament3: | Singapore |
Term Start3: | 3 September 1988 |
Term End3: | 5 August 1993 |
Predecessor3: | Constituency established |
Successor3: | Constituency abolished |
Constituency Mp4: | River Valley SMC |
Parliament4: | Singapore |
Term Start4: | 23 December 1980 |
Term End4: | 2 September 1988 |
Predecessor4: | Tan Eng Liang (PAP) |
Successor4: | Constituency abolished |
Tay Eng Soon (; 20 January 1940 – 5 August 1993) was a Singaporean academic and politician who served as Senior Minister of State for Education from 1988 until his death in 1993.
Tay was born in Singapore on 20 January 1940. He was educated at the Anglo-Chinese School,[1] before graduating from the University of Bristol with a Bachelor of Science with first class honours degree in electrical engineering.
Tan was later awarded a scholarship by the Royal Society and went on to obtain a PhD in microwave engineering from the University College London in 1966. He also completed a diploma in business administration at the University of Singapore in 1979.
Tay was a Member of Parliament for River Valley Constituency with walkovers in both 1980 and 1984 General Election.
He was appointed Minister of State for Education in 1981 and Senior Minister of State for Education in 1988.
Tay was part of a three-member PAP team against the Worker's Party team for Eunos GRC. The PAP defeated WP with 50.89% of the valid votes in the 1988 general election.
During the 1991 General Election, Tay was part of the four-member PAP team against the Worker's Party team. The PAP team defeated the WP team for the second time with 52.28% of the valid votes. Tay was a Member of Parliament of Eunos GRC for Tampines North ward from 1988 to 1993 as he died on 5 August 1993 due to heart failure while his term in office.[2]
Tay was married to Rosalyn Carson, a scientist, and had 2 daughters and a son.
Tay was hospitalised on 2 August 1993 and died of acute heart failure on 5 August.
One of the two libraries at the Singapore Institute of Management is named after him, in recognition of Tay's contributions to the SIM's UK Open University Degree Programme.[3]
The Tay Eng Soon Health Sciences Award,[4] Tay Eng Soon Gold Medal,[5] and Tay Eng Soon Convention Centre at ITE College Central[6] are named after him.