Irene Tan Liang Kheng Empower Grant

Established in 2019, the Irene Tan Liang Kheng Empowerment Fund aims to encourage bright full-time undergraduate students from the Yong Pung How School of Law at the Singapore Management University to aspire for greater heights of excellence in spite of adversity and financial hardship.  The Fund supports the Irene Tan Liang Kheng Empower Grant with the objective to provide financial assistance to undergraduate Law students who are experiencing financial hardships during their course of study.

• Full-time undergraduate students from the Yong Pung How School of Law
• Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
• Experienced family financial hardships (with gross monthly household per capita income not exceeding the prevailing limit to qualify for government bursaries)
• Should be ethically and socially responsible individuals who believe in giving back to society with compassion and integrity.

• $6,750 per annum (towards annual subsidised tuition fee)
• Tenable for one year of study
• May be in concurrent receipt of another bursary for cash allowance, subject to fulfilment of its eligibility criteria.

Shortlisting of candidates for consideration will be from the list of applicants applying for SMU-administered bursaries in the year of award.

Centre for Student Financial Assistance
Office of Admissions and Financial Assistance
Email: finasst@smu.edu.sg

"Nurturing young people by increasing their access to education is the best investment we can make to shape our collective future, and this is the best legacy we can leave behind for the next generations." – Madam Irene Tan Liang Kheng

The Late Madam Tan Liang Kheng was born on 4 July 1943.  In November 1999, Madam Irene Tan married Mr Ong Tiong Tat.  They had no children. 

Madam Irene Tan was an investor known for her gentleness and love towards her husband, family, and friends.  Madam Irene Tan was not just a loving and caring wife but a faithful friend and a wise investor.  She chose to invest in people, in her friendships.  She was loving and kind to those around her and valued relationships. 

Whenever someone approached her to meet a need, she gave, generously and selflessly.  She loved to feed people.  She gained great satisfaction in indulging others with local delights.  She knew where to get the best soon kway, otah, satay, beng kway, and would often tao bao food for others.  She often stood in line to gather the best delights and personally drove down to surprise them during breaks.  During the Chinese New Year season, she would distribute pots of peranakan dishes, the Ayam Buah Keluak.  She prepared this dish one month in advance, soaking the Indonesian nuts in clean water and changing the water daily.  The love that went into preparing the dish cannot be described.  It was her way of showing love to her friends and family. 

In her later years, Madam Tan became active with charity work.  At the same time, she concurrently took care of her sick mother and the late Mr Koh Choon Joo, a lawyer and Mr Ong's closest friend; the latter for over 10 years.  People always looked to her and wondered how she could handle multiple responsibilities constantly, yet remained so composed and calm during those difficult moments.  It was very challenging and heart-breaking to take care of someone who was fading away.  Yet she did it with a smile-always burning her light to illuminate their dark hours. 

She was an enormous inspiration to others, who often wondered how she remained so composed and calm while handling multiple responsibilities.  Even when she was battling her own cancer later on, she continued to give her wealth generously and meticulously planned her will to ensure that the legacy of giving would continue even after her passing.  Mr Ong passed away on 14 February 2013, and Madam Irene Tan on 13 February 2016.