Sheng Siong Founder’s Mother Dies at 91

Health Struggles Preceding Her Passing

According to Lianhe Zaobao and Shin Min Daily News interviews cited by Must Share News, Madam Ng suffered from diabetes for more than a decade and required insulin injections. She underwent a heart bypass surgery roughly three years prior to her death and later faced hospitalizations for asthma and kidney failure. Last month, she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit before transferring to a general ward, where she suffered internal bleeding. She returned home on Sept. 3 after doctors determined her condition was critical, allowing family members to visit her before she died.

The 2014 Kidnapping Case and Court Verdict

Madam Ng was 79 when she was abducted on Jan. 8, 2014, in a case that marked Singapore’s first kidnapping-for-ransom operation in over a decade, according to police and court records. Lee Sze Yong, then 42, targeted her after reviewing Forbes magazine’s wealth list and selecting Sheng Siong CEO Lim Hock Chee, whose net worth was estimated at S$500 million at the time, according to CNA and Mothership reports. Lee spent two years planning the crime due to accumulated debt.

Lee tricked Madam Ng on an overhead bridge along Hougang Avenue 2 by telling her that her son had suffered an injury at his office, according to court testimony. The kidnappers blindfolded her, drove her around, and initially demanded S$20 million before reducing the figure to S$2 million. Police reports show that Lim Hock Chee paid the ransom at Sembawang Park. Law enforcement officers arrested Lee and his accomplice, Heng Chen Boon, within 12 hours and recovered the full cash amount. Lee was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment and three strokes of the cane, while Heng received a three-year prison sentence, according to Mothership.

Community Legacy and Funeral Arrangements

Following the ordeal, Madam Ng’s family avoided discussing the incident in front of her, and she continued walking around her HDB neighbourhood and greeting residents, according to Lianhe Zaobao. Her three sons—Lim Hock Eng, Lim Hock Chee, and Lim Hock Leng—who founded Sheng Siong in 1985, decided to donate the recovered S$2 million ransom to the National Crime Prevention Council, while second son Lim Hock Chee stated that current bereavement donations will also be directed to charity, according to Mothership.

Madam Ng’s wake is being held at Woodlands Memorial, occupying the entire fifth floor to accommodate family, friends, and members of the public wishing to pay their respects. Around 30 Sheng Siong staff members assisted with logistical arrangements alongside political figures such as Yio Chu Kang MP Yip Hon Weng, according to Must Share News. The funeral procession is scheduled for Sept. 11 at 2 p.m., followed by burial at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Ng Lye Poh?

Ng Lye Poh was the matriarch of the Lim family and the mother of the three brothers who founded the Sheng Siong supermarket chain. She was widely known as “Sheng Siong Ah Ma” in her neighborhood.

What happened during the 2014 kidnapping?

At age 79, Madam Ng was abducted after being tricked into a car by Lee Sze Yong, who demanded a S$2 million ransom. She was released safely after the ransom was dropped off at Sembawang Park, and police apprehended the perpetrators within 12 hours.

Where is the wake being held?

Her wake is being held at Woodlands Memorial on the fifth floor until the funeral procession on Sept. 11.