SINGAPORE’S FOREIGN AFFAIRS SENIOR MINISTER DIES

By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, Sept 27 (Bernama) -– Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs Dr Balaji Sadasivan died here Monday morning. He was 55.

Foreign Minister George Yeo, who is in New York attending the United Nations
General Assembly, broke the news of his deputy’s passing when he tweeted “Mourns
the passing away of dear friend and colleague Dr Balaji Sadasivan” Monday.

Balaji, born here on July 11, 1955, had surgery at a private hospital here
on Sept 23, 2008 to remove a cancerous tumour in the colon.

A US-trained neurosurgeon, Balaji worked as a consultant at the Tan Tock
Seng Hospital before he left for private practice in 1994.

In 2001, he entered politics as a People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate and
became member of parliament for Ang Ko Kio GRC (group representation
constituency) and was appointed minister of state for health in November, the
same year.

He was also appointed minister of state for environment (Nov 2001 - May
2003) and transport minister (May 2003 - Aug 2004).

In August 2004, he was promoted to senior minister of state for information,
communications and the arts and health ministries.

On May 30, 2006, he was appointed senior minister of state for foreign
affairs.

Dr Balaji was also chairman of the World Health Organisation Executive
Board in May 2007.

He studied at the National University of Singapore and continued his
education at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in
Scotland.

Dr Balaji is survived by wife, Dr Ma Swan Hoo, and two children.

-– BERNAMA