Lim is a principal engineer at telecommunications organisation M1 Limited and holds a Master's degree in engineering management from the University of Wollongong.[2] As a politician, he has more than twenty years of experience. Lim has proclaimed himself a "dedicated & determined" leader.[3] He was also a former member of the Singapore People's Party.[4] The current leader of the Singapore Democratic Alliance, he contested and lost both the 2001 and 2006 Singaporean general elections.[3] He also contested the Singaporean general election, 2011, and lost,[5] having only garnered 4.5% of the valid votes.[6]
He held Singapore's first online rally during the Singaporean by-election, 2013, on January 21, 2013, during which he spoke about the cost of living and property prices in Singapore.[7] The online rally drew much criticism, most of which concerned his poor command of English. Lim, in contrast, hailed the online rally as a "great achievement" and also replied:
Everyone is not perfect. The most important thing is that we are learning, and I'm learning and there are leaders at the beginning when they come into politics, their English is also not as good as mine, but nevertheless most importantly is never give up and be sincere and have the heart to serve the people.[8]
During the by-election, it was reported that some residents admired his "underdog indefatigability".[9] However, Lim ultimately lost the by-election, finishing fourth and last with 168 votes (0.57%); he therefore set a new record for the lowest percentage garnered in an election since the independence of Singapore in 1965.[10]
