Lim Hng Khiang was a high-flying SAF scholar whose good luck was to be army buddies with Lee Hsien Loong. Of course LHL roped him into politics and he became Minister of National Development in 1995.
LHK was Second Minister of Finance, the Deputy Chairman of MAS and a board member of GIC. He was earmarked by LHL to take over the second most important minister post after the Prime Minister position: the Minister of Finance.
However LHK's luck turned. In 1996 the Lee family members bought Nassim Jade condos as a discount. The developer Hotel Properties did not sought and obtain the required shareholders' approval for a listed company before selling the units to "related parties". Someone complained to Ministry of National Development.
LHK could not act so he referred the matter to the Monetary Authority of Singapore which oversees the Stock Exchange of Singapore which oversees listed companies. The SES had to investigate and it potentially became a big political scandal and embarrassment.
The old man hauled up LHK and essentially told LHK that "you are a very brave man to pursue this matter."
That was the end of LHK's political career.
LHK was shunted to a lesser position Minister of Health. Again bad luck struck, in the form of SARS. He is not a doctor and his arrogant way of managing the medical professionals during the SARS crisis pissed off the medical fraternity and also exposed his inexperience and lack of knowledge of the health care industry.
Normally, someone with his experience (MAS, GIC, Finance, National Development, Health) would be highly sought after in the private sector. Even if he does not know his stuff, he still has connections. But the private sector was wary of hiring him because of a few factors: his poor people-management and him falling foul of the famiLee, so his ability to open doors are now questionable.
Since he cannot find a job in the private sector, and since LHL brought him into politics, LHL had a responsibility to look after him. So LHL gave LHK an iron-rice bowl cho-boh-land job in the Prime Minister's Office.
He would have remained there in the PMO's office if not for a stroke of good luck. George Yeo lost the elections and his minister's job. LHK was given the Minister of Trade and Industry because, despite his shortcomings, he was still one of the more qualified persons in LHL's talent-short cabinet.
So the story of LHK is one of good luck and bad luck.