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S. Dhanabalan

The Honourable
Suppiah Dhanabalan
DUT(First Class)
சு. தனபாலன்
Minister for Trade and Industry
In office
1991–1993
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
Preceded by Lee Hsien Loong
Succeeded by Yeo Cheow Tong
Minister for National Development
In office
1986–1991
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
Goh Chok Tong
Preceded by Teh Cheang Wan
Succeeded by Richard Hu
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office
1 June 1980 – 12 September 1988
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
Preceded by S. Rajaratnam
Succeeded by Wong Kan Seng
Member of Parliament for Toa Payoh GRC
(Kuo Chuan)
In office
1991–1997
Preceded by Wong Kan Seng
Succeeded by Constituency abolished
Member of Parliament for Kallang SMC
In office
1976–1991
Preceded by Abdul Aziz bin Karim
Succeeded by Constituency abolished
Majority 73.9%
Personal details
Born (1936-08-08) 8 August 1936 (age 80)
Political party People's Action Party
Spouse(s) Christine Tan
Children 2
Alma mater University of Malaya
Occupation Business executive
Religion Christianity (Baptist)

Suppiah Dhanabalan (born 8 August 1936), also known as S. Dhanabalan, DUT(First Class), is a former Singaporean politician. He was a high-profile political leader in Singapore in the 1980s and held several cabinet positions in the 1980s and early 1990s under prime ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong.

Dhanabalan was born in 1936 to a Singaporean Indian family of Tamil descent. He was raised as a Hindu by his father, Arumugam Suppiah, a clerical at a naval base. But later in his life he became a devout Christian (Brethren). His mother is Gunaretnam Suppiah. He went to Victoria School; and later to University of Malaya where he earned his B.A. degree in Economics, earning a Second Class Honours (Upper Division). He was the third child and the eldest son in a Tamil family of three girls and three boys.

He joined (Ministry of Finance) as an Administrative Officer from 1960–68. During his tenure, he helped to form the Economic Development Board and DBS Bank.

He subsequently left the Civil Service and joined DBS as a Vice-President from 1968–1970. He was promoted to the position of Executive Vice-President and continue to serve from 1970–1978.

In the 1976 Singapore general election, Dhanabalan was elected as Member of Parliament for Kallang, as a People's Action Party (PAP) candidate. He was promoted to a Cabinet Minister and served in various portfolios, including Foreign Affairs, Culture, Community Development, National Development and Trade and Industry.

When Lee Kuan Yew was preparing for his successor, he identified a handful of ministers he considered suitable for the job, including Tony Tan, Ong Teng Cheong, Goh Chok Tong and Dhanabalan.


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