SINGAPORE: Senior Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon will relinquish his appointments as Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Senior Minister of State for Health with effect from Jun 1.
Dr Koh requested to step down from public office "due to family reasons", said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday (May 22).
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has accepted his resignation, PMO said.
“The Prime Minister thanks Dr Koh for his decade of service as a political office holder, and for his contributions across a wide range of portfolios, including trade and industry, manpower, health, sustainability and the environment, national development and the Labour Movement,” PMO said.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he is deeply grateful for Dr Koh's many years of contributions to Singapore.
"While I am sad to lose a dedicated member of the team, I understand his wish to spend more time with his family, and have accepted his request," said Mr Wong.
"I am glad he will continue to serve his residents in Tampines Central and contribute in parliament."
The PMO statement in full:
Senior Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon has requested to step down from public office due to family reasons. The Prime Minister has accepted his resignation.
Dr Koh will relinquish his appointments as Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Senior Minister of State for Health with effect from 1 June 2026.
The Prime Minister thanks Dr Koh for his decade of service as a political office holder, and for his contributions across a wide range of portfolios, including trade and industry, manpower, health, sustainability and the environment, national development and the Labour Movement.
At the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Sustainability and The Environment, he led efforts to grow our agri-food sector, strengthen our food safety and security, and improve sustainability practices.
Across his appointments at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Manpower and NTUC, Dr Koh worked tirelessly to strengthen support for businesses, workers and lower-wage Singaporeans. He drove efforts to strengthen our enterprise ecosystem, ensuring that workers benefited from business transformation. He helped expand the Progressive Wage Model to more sectors, advanced protection for platform workers and against workplace discrimination, and championed stronger support for seniors and caregivers. Throughout, he approached issues with care and balance, seeking to support both businesses and workers in a fair and sustainable manner.
At the Ministry of Health, Dr Koh drew on his clinical experience to help shape
forward-looking policies. He contributed to efforts to keep healthcare affordable and accessible, strengthen preventive care through initiatives such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG, and support the development of a stronger healthcare workforce.
Throughout his years in Government, Dr Koh served with dedication, thoughtfulness and a deep sense of duty. His contributions have made a difference to the lives of many Singaporeans.
Dr Koh will continue to serve residents of Tampines Central Division as a Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC. The Prime Minister looks forward to his continued contributions in this capacity.
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Dr Koh requested to step down from public office "due to family reasons", said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday (May 22).
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has accepted his resignation, PMO said.
“The Prime Minister thanks Dr Koh for his decade of service as a political office holder, and for his contributions across a wide range of portfolios, including trade and industry, manpower, health, sustainability and the environment, national development and the Labour Movement,” PMO said.
PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT
In a Facebook post on Friday, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he is deeply grateful for Dr Koh's many years of contributions to Singapore.
"While I am sad to lose a dedicated member of the team, I understand his wish to spend more time with his family, and have accepted his request," said Mr Wong.
"I am glad he will continue to serve his residents in Tampines Central and contribute in parliament."
The PMO statement in full:
Senior Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon has requested to step down from public office due to family reasons. The Prime Minister has accepted his resignation.
Dr Koh will relinquish his appointments as Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Senior Minister of State for Health with effect from 1 June 2026.
The Prime Minister thanks Dr Koh for his decade of service as a political office holder, and for his contributions across a wide range of portfolios, including trade and industry, manpower, health, sustainability and the environment, national development and the Labour Movement.
At the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Sustainability and The Environment, he led efforts to grow our agri-food sector, strengthen our food safety and security, and improve sustainability practices.
Across his appointments at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Manpower and NTUC, Dr Koh worked tirelessly to strengthen support for businesses, workers and lower-wage Singaporeans. He drove efforts to strengthen our enterprise ecosystem, ensuring that workers benefited from business transformation. He helped expand the Progressive Wage Model to more sectors, advanced protection for platform workers and against workplace discrimination, and championed stronger support for seniors and caregivers. Throughout, he approached issues with care and balance, seeking to support both businesses and workers in a fair and sustainable manner.
At the Ministry of Health, Dr Koh drew on his clinical experience to help shape
forward-looking policies. He contributed to efforts to keep healthcare affordable and accessible, strengthen preventive care through initiatives such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG, and support the development of a stronger healthcare workforce.
Throughout his years in Government, Dr Koh served with dedication, thoughtfulness and a deep sense of duty. His contributions have made a difference to the lives of many Singaporeans.
Dr Koh will continue to serve residents of Tampines Central Division as a Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC. The Prime Minister looks forward to his continued contributions in this capacity.
Continue reading...