Sheng Siong Matriarch Ng Lye Poh Dies Aged 91
Ng Lye Poh, mother of Sheng Siong's billionaire founders, has died at 91. She was also a survivor of a notable 2014 kidnapping-for-ransom case in Singapore.
Sheng Siong Matriarch Passes Away
Ng Lye Poh, the matriarch of the family behind Singapore's Sheng Siong supermarket chain, has passed away at 91. Known affectionately as "Sheng Siong Ah Ma," she was the mother of the company's billionaire founders, including co-founder Lim Hock Chee.
Her passing marks the end of a life that saw the family build a significant presence in the city-state's competitive consumer retail sector.
Health Complications Led to Death
Lim Hock Chee, her second son, informed local media at her wake that Ng died on a Saturday morning following complications from asthma and kidney failure. She had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit last month, with her condition initially improving.
However, a sudden internal bleeding led to a rapid deterioration, and doctors advised the family that her prognosis was not optimistic before she returned home last Thursday.
2014 Kidnapping for Ransom
Ng Lye Poh gained public attention in 2014 as the victim of a rare kidnapping-for-ransom case in Singapore. The perpetrator, Lee Sze Yong, had spent two years planning the abduction, selecting Lim Hock Chee from Forbes magazine's Singapore rich list.
Lee demanded S$20 million (US$15.8 million) from Lim, later reducing it to S$2 million, before police intervened and arrested him and his accomplice. Lee received a life sentence.
Family Philanthropy and Wealth Growth
The Lim family's wealth, estimated by Forbes at US$500 million at the time of the 2014 incident, has since expanded to US$2.7 billion this year (2026). Lim Hock Chee confirmed the original S$2 million ransom was donated to the National Crime Prevention Council. He also stated that funds received from the bereavement would be given to charity.
This commitment to philanthropy underscores the family's enduring influence and growth within Singapore's competitive consumer retail market.
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