Koh Poh Koon

Koh Poh Koon

许宝琨医生
Current Role	• Senior Minister of State • Ministry of Manpower & Ministry of Health
Personal details
Party	PAP

Koh Poh Koon (born 16 March 1972) is a Singaporean politician from the People's Action Party (PAP) and former colorectal surgeon. As of 2025, he serves as the Senior Minister of State for Health and the Senior Minister of State for Manpower, having previously held the role of Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment from 2022 to 2025.

For the full list of positions, refer to PARL Link.

Prior to entering politics, Koh had an extensive career in medical science. He used to be a medical practitioner, a scientist, and also a lecturer.

Early Life and Medical Career

Education and Training Koh Poh Koon was born on 16 March 1972. He studied at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), obtaining his MBBS and Master of Medicine (Surgery). He later became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Academy of Medicine Singapore.

Professional Career Koh trained in colorectal surgery at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary and the Cleveland Clinic in the United States. Prior to politics, he served as a consultant colorectal surgeon at Singapore General Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre. He founded the Colorectal Cancer Genomic Health Service and held academic roles at NUS, Duke-NUS, and A*STAR.

Political career

1. 2013 Punggol East By-election Koh made his political debut in the 2013 Punggol East by-election under the People's Action Party (PAP), but was defeated by Workers’ Party candidate Lee Li Lian, securing 43.37% of the vote. His remarks during the campaign attracted national attention, particularly his comment that he and his wife each owned a car as professionals, which was perceived by many as elitist.
2. Member of Parliament and Ministerial Roles In the 2015 general election, Koh was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Ang Mo Kio GRC. He was appointed Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of National Development in 2016, and promoted to Senior Minister of State in 2017. In April 2018, he relinquished his National Development portfolio.
3. 2020 General Election and Tampines GRC Koh contested and won Tampines GRC in the 2020 general election and has since represented Tampines Central. He was appointed Senior Minister of State for Health in July 2020 and later added the Ministry of Manpower to his portfolio in May 2021.
4. Senior Ministerial Appointments In June 2022, he began serving as Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, a role he held until May 2025. As of May 2025, he continues to serve as Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower.
5. Role in NTUC From April 2018 to May 2021, Koh served as Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).
6. General Election 2025 In the May 2025 general election, Koh and the PAP team retained Tampines GRC in a four-cornered fight, winning 52.02% of the vote.

Parliamentary Contributions

Employment and Skills Development Koh has been active in debates surrounding manpower development. In 2025, he announced initiatives supporting career health, upskilling, and senior employment.

Sustainability and Food Resilience As Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, Koh Poh Koon played a key role in advancing Singapore's food resilience agenda. In his 4 March 2025 Committee of Supply speech, he outlined strategies including diversifying food import sources, maintaining stockpiles, and enhancing local production via rooftop hydroponics and containerised aquaculture. He also called for preserving hawker culture to support the 30-by-30 ambition.

Community Engagement Koh spearheaded several green projects in Tampines: the launch of Singapore’s first containerised fish farm in a 20-foot shipping container, aimed at boosting local fish production and educational outreach; rooftop vegetable farms repurposing space in HDB estates; and a hydroponic therapy farm at the Tampines Central Community Club designed to support children with special needs and ease caregivers’ stress.

Additionally, Koh introduced the Tampines CARES Shopping Programme to support low-income households. Instead of receiving standardised ration packs, eligible families received grocery vouchers every quarter, allowing them to choose items that best suit their needs, including sanitary and fresh food products.

Additionally, Koh introduced the Tampines CARES Shopping Programme to support low-income households. Instead of receiving standardised ration packs, eligible families received grocery vouchers every quarter, allowing them to choose items that best suit their needs, including sanitary and fresh food products.

Controversies

"Two Cars" Remark and Perceived Elitism

During the 2013 Punggol East by-election, Koh Poh Koon drew criticism for stating, "Everybody has a car; we have two… We are professionals, we need to travel." The remark was perceived as elitist and disconnected from the experiences of average Singaporeans. Social media users and alternative media accused Koh of embodying the PAP’s out-of-touch image.

Post-Defeat Community Service as Public Relations Strategy

Following his by-election defeat, Koh participated in highly publicized community service events such as cleaning a hoarder's flat and painting HDB walls. These activities were closely followed by the media, prompting critics to argue that the efforts were orchestrated to rehabilitate his public image. The Online Citizen described these efforts as performative and lacking in grassroots depth.

NTUC–PAP Overlap and Union Autonomy

In 2024, during the parliamentary debate on the Platform Workers Bill, Workers’ Party leader Pritam Singh questioned whether PAP ministers holding NTUC leadership roles, such as Koh, could genuinely represent workers. The Online Citizen echoed concerns that union autonomy was undermined by such political overlaps.

Opposition to Universal Minimum Wage

Koh opposed the Workers’ Party’s proposal for a universal minimum wage of S$1,300, citing potential harm to businesses. Critics, including The Online Citizen, argued that Koh’s stance favored business interests over the welfare of low-income workers.

MediShield Life Transparency Dispute

Koh’s parliamentary remarks about publishing actuarial data related to MediShield Life were criticized for being vague. The Online Citizen reported that the lack of clarity created public doubt over the government’s commitment to transparency.

COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Controversy

In 2021, Koh publicly rebuked a group of doctors who expressed concerns about the long-term safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The Online Citizen highlighted that Koh’s comments were perceived as dismissive and potentially stifling of scientific discourse.

Defense of High Hawker Stall Bids

Koh defended a hawker stall tender in Marine Parade that reached S$6,688 per month, calling it an outlier. His remarks were criticized by food heritage advocate KF Seetoh and others, who felt that he ignored the broader cost issues facing hawkers.

Preferential Citizenship Assistance Allegation

In 2025, actress Sora Ma revealed that Koh assisted in her Singapore citizenship application. The Online Citizen reported that the timing raised questions about preferential treatment, especially in the lead-up to the general election.

Positions Held

Role	Period
MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC	2015–2020
MP for Tampines GRC (Tampines Central)	2020–present
Deputy Secretary-General, NTUC	2018–2021
Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health	2020–2022, 2025–present
Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Manpower	2021–present
Senior Minister of State, Sustainability & Environment	2022–2025

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References

14th Parliament

MP  : Ang Wei Neng   ●   Baey Yam Keng   ●   Cheryl Chan Wei Ling   ●   Chan Chun Sing   ●   Chee Hong Tat   ●   Cheng Li Hui   ●   Edward Chia Bing Hui   ●   Chong Kee Hiong   ●   Desmond Choo   ●   Chua Kheng Wee Louis   ●   Eric Chua   ●   Darryl David   ●   Christopher de Souza   ●   Foo Mee Har   ●   Grace Fu Hai Yien   ●   Gan Kim Yong   ●   Gan Siow Huang   ●   Gan Thiam Poh   ●   Gerald Giam   ●   Derrick Goh   ●   He Ting Ru   ●   Heng Chee How   ●   Heng Swee Keat   ●   Shawn Huang Wei Zhong   ●   Indranee Rajah   ●   S Iswaran   ●   Janil Puthucheary   ●   Amy Khor Lean Suan   ●   Koh Poh Koon   ●   Kwek Hian Chuan Henry   ●   Desmond Lee   ●   Lee Hsien Loong   ●   Liang Eng Hwa   ●   Lim Biow Chuan   ●   Jamus Jerome Lim   ●   Sylvia Lim   ●   Lim Wee Kiak   ●   Low Yen Ling   ●   Mariam Jaafar   ●   Masagos Zulkifli Bin Masagos Mohamad   ●   Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman   ●   Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman   ●   Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap   ●   Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim   ●   Murali Pillai   ●   Nadia Ahmad Samdin   ●   Ng Eng Hen   ●   Ng Ling Ling   ●   Louis Ng Kok Kwang   ●   Rachel Ong   ●   Ong Ye Kung   ●   Joan Pereira   ●   Leon Perera   ●   Denise Phua Lay Peng   ●   Poh Li San   ●   Pritam Singh   ●   Raeesah Khan   ●   Rahayu Mahzam   ●   Saktiandi Supaat   ●   Seah Kian Peng   ●   K Shanmugam   ●   Sharael Taha   ●   Sim Ann   ●   Sitoh Yih Pin   ●   Hany Soh   ●   Sun Xueling   ●   Alvin Tan   ●   Carrie Tan   ●   Tan Chuan-Jin   ●   Dennis Tan Lip Fong   ●   Desmond Tan   ●   Jessica Tan Soon Neo   ●   Tan Kiat How   ●   Tan See Leng   ●   Tan Wu Meng   ●   Patrick Tay Teck Guan   ●   Teo Chee Hean   ●   Josephine Teo   ●   Tharman Shanmugaratnam   ●   Tin Pei Ling   ●   Edwin Tong Chun Fai   ●   Vikram Nair   ●   Vivian Balakrishnan   ●   Wan Rizal   ●   Don Wee   ●   Lawrence Wong   ●   Xie Yao Quan   ●   Alex Yam Ziming   ●   Yeo Wan Ling   ●   Yip Hon Weng   ●   Melvin Yong Yik Chye   ●   Zaqy Mohamad   ●   Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim NCMP  : Leong Mun Wai   ●   Hazel Poa

15th Parliament

MP  : Hazlina Abdul Halim   ●   Syed Harun Alhabsyi   ●   Ang Wei Neng   ●   Baey Yam Keng   ●   Cai Yinzhou   ●   Chan Chun Sing   ●   Chee Hong Tat   ●   Charlene Chen   ●   Elysa Chen   ●   Edward Chia Bing Hui   ●   Desmond Choo   ●   Choo Pei Ling   ●   Chua Kheng Wee Louis   ●   Eric Chua   ●   Dinesh Vasu Dash   ●   Darryl David   ●   Christopher de Souza   ●   Fadli Fawzi   ●   Foo Cexiang   ●   Grace Fu Hai Yien   ●   Gan Kim Yong   ●   Gan Siow Huang   ●   Gho Sze Kee   ●   Gerald Giam Yean Song   ●   Goh Hanyan   ●   Goh Pei Ming   ●   He Ting Ru   ●   David Hoe   ●   Shawn Huang Wei Zhong   ●   Indranee Rajah   ●   Janil Puthucheary   ●   Koh Poh Koon   ●   Kwek Hian Chuan Henry   ●   Gabriel Lam   ●   Jackson Lam   ●   Jasmin Lau   ●   Cassandra Lee   ●   Desmond Lee   ●   Lee Hong Chuang BBM   ●   Lee Hsien Loong   ●   Lee Hui Ying   ●   Valerie Lee   ●   Liang Eng Hwa   ●   Jamus Jerome Lim   ●   Sylvia Lim   ●   Shawn Loh   ●   Low Wu Yang Andre   ●   Low Yen Ling   ●   Victor Lye   ●   Muhaimin Malik   ●   Mariam Jaafar   ●   Masagos Zulkifli Bin Masagos Mohamad   ●   Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim   ●   Murali Pillai   ●   Nadia Ahmad Samdin   ●   David Neo   ●   Ng Chee Meng   ●   Ng Shi Xuan   ●   Rachel Ong   ●   Ong Ye Kung   ●   Diana Pang   ●   Joan Pereira   ●   Denise Phua Lay Peng   ●   Poh Li San   ●   Pritam Singh   ●   Rahayu Mahzam   ●   Hamid Razak   ●   Saktiandi Supaat   ●   Seah Kian Peng   ●   K Shanmugam   ●   Sharael Taha   ●   Sim Ann   ●   Jeffrey Siow   ●   Hany Soh   ●   Sun Xueling   ●   Alvin Tan   ●   Dennis Tan Lip Fong   ●   Desmond Tan   ●   Jessica Tan Soon Neo   ●   Tan Kiat How   ●   Tan See Leng   ●   Patrick Tay Teck Guan   ●   Josephine Teo   ●   Tin Pei Ling   ●   Kenneth Tiong   ●   Edwin Tong Chun Fai   ●   Vikram Nair   ●   Vivian Balakrishnan   ●   Wan Rizal   ●   Lawrence Wong   ●   Xie Yao Quan   ●   Alex Yam Ziming   ●   Alex Yeo   ●   Yeo Wan Ling   ●   Yip Hon Weng   ●   Zaqy Mohamad   ●   Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim   ●   Melvin Yong Yik Chye NCMP  : Low Wu Yang Andre   ●   Eileen Chong Pei Shan