Murali Pillai SC

Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Law, and Member of Parliament, Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency

UCLA-NUS EMBA, Class of 2007

If you are around the Bukit Batok area, there is certainly one bright smile that will catch your eye. That smile belongs to none other than Minister of State for the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Law, Mr Murali Pillai SC, who has been the Member of Parliament for the area since 2016.  

However, Mr Murali was not always a politician. He started his career in 1992 as a regular police officer charged with investigating white-collar crimes. In 1996, he started practising as a litigation lawyer. He was appointed Senior Counsel in recognition of his advocacy skills and standing in the Singapore Bar in 2020. As a lawyer, he strongly believed that even the least advantaged should have access to justice. To this day, this is one of the core beliefs driving his work in the legal industry. Between 2000 and 2016, Mr Murali served as a grassroots leader in Bukit Batok. He ran weekly legal clinics for Bukit Batok residents, where he took on pro bono cases so that those who were less fortunate could get the legal assistance they needed. It was this same desire to help Singapore’s residents that led him to step forward to stand for the 2016 Bukit Batok SMC by-election. 

In the midst of his legal practice, Mr Murali took up the UCLA-NUS EMBA in 2007, as he wanted to understand business better at a higher order so as to become a more effective lawyer. He felt that participating in the programme would help him to better align legal solutions with clients’ business strategies while ensuring the company remained financially viable and responsible, and at the same time, extend his networks outside the legal industry and the field of law.  

Through the UCLA-NUS EMBA programme, Mr Murali met with people across diverse sectors, ranging from technology to media and entertainment. He also benefitted from learning opportunities in various countries, like Shanghai, Bangalore, and of course, the United States (where UCLA is located), where he and his classmates met with many large and impactful organisations. 

Reflecting on his journey within the UCLA-NUS EMBA programme, Mr Murali said, “The programme definitely helped in my journey as a lawyer, as it really broadens perspectives and worldviews beyond the law and enables us to understand the realistic impact of whatever solutions we may propose as lawyers to our clients to better serve them and their businesses.” 

In July 2024, Mr Murali accepted the invitation from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to join his Cabinet as Minister of State for the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Law. While he recognised that the new roles were going to pose a steep learning curve, Mr Murali felt it would be a deep honour and privilege to serve Singaporeans in these new capacities.  

In these appointments, Mr Murali is dedicated to supporting efforts aimed at ensuring continued access to justice for all, retaining Singapore’s status as a premier legal hub. He is also committed to improving Singapore’s transportation connectivity to enhance the quality of life of Singaporeans and advance our economic competitiveness.