SINGAPORE — Former minister Chua Sian Chin (picture), who made history by becoming the youngest Cabinet member in 1968, died of heart failure on Wednesday. He was 81.

Chua, one of Singapore’s first generation of leaders, was appointed as Health Minister at the age of 34, not long after he won his first parliamentary election that year. He went on to serve as Minister for Home Affairs and Education before stepping down from the Cabinet in 1984.

The Malacca-born Chua studied law in England and returned to then-Malaya as a barrister. He later moved to Singapore, where during the 1968 elections, he was elected unopposed as a Member of Parliament for MacPherson, serving the constituency until 1991.

His son, Mr Chua Eng Leong, said yesterday: “He looked fine last evening. I got a call around 8.30pm and then subsequently, the ambulance was called in. They tried their very best to resuscitate him ... but everybody has to go. We are still in shock, but we have to pull together.”

In a letter of condolence to his widow, Mrs Alice Chua, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Chua “was a dedicated MP who served his constituents with dedication and humility”. “Mr Chua’s passing is a sad loss to Singapore, but his contributions live on in our policies and institutions,” Mr Lee said.

In a separate letter to Mrs Chua, former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew also expressed his “deepest condolences” on Chua’s passing. Chua’s wake will be held on Friday and the funeral will be on Tuesday at the Church of St Teresa. CHANNEL NEWSASIA