Dr Koh Poh Koon resigns as Senior Minister of State citing family reasons
Senior Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon will step down from his ministerial appointments in Manpower and Health on 1 June 2026, saying his family needs his attention in a way incompatible with the demands of political office.
- Dr Koh Poh Koon resigns as Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Health on 1 June 2026.
- The Prime Minister's Office cites family reasons; PM Lawrence Wong has accepted the resignation.
- Dr Koh will continue serving as Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC.
Senior Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon will relinquish his appointments at the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Health with effect from 1 June 2026, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announced on 22 May 2026.
Dr Koh, 54, said the decision was reached "after much deliberation and discussion" with his family, and that it was made "with a heavy heart."
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has accepted the resignation.
In his own statement, Dr Koh said he had been "an absent husband, father and son" since entering politics in 2015, having placed the needs of Singapore and his constituents above his family.
"For too long, my wife has carried much of the burden at home, often having to look after our parents and our children on her own," he said.
"Right now, my family needs my attention in a way that is not compatible with the demands of political office," he added.
Dr Koh also noted that his work on the Economic Strategic Review Committee had recently concluded, describing the timing as appropriate for him to refocus his priorities.
He said he would take the coming months to spend time with his family and consider his next steps, but emphasised: "This is not goodbye. I will continue to do my best serving my constituents as Member of Parliament at Tampines GRC."
Dr Koh will continue to serve residents of Tampines Central Division as a Member of Parliament for Tampines Group Representation Constituency (Tampines GRC). PMO said the Prime Minister looks forward to his continued contributions in that capacity.
Tributes from cabinet colleagues
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, posting on Facebook on 22 May, said he was "sad" that Dr Koh would be stepping down as a political office holder.
"I know that the matter has been weighing on his mind. I am glad that he has come to a decision, and respect him for doing what he feels is best for his family," Ong wrote.
Ong said he would miss Dr Koh's "honest counsel" at the Ministry of Health, noting that Dr Koh's background as a doctor, member of parliament, and what he described as a grounded person gave him a consistently useful perspective on healthcare issues.
He also spoke of a close personal rapport, noting that the two had attended the same secondary school.
"We can tune into each other's wavelength easily. I felt it especially when we go on media interviews together. The conversation and banter would flow without any prior coordination," Ong wrote.
Ong said he hoped Dr Koh would be able to return to clinical practice in public healthcare, while adding that he did not wish to place any pressure on him.
"I am happy that Poh Koon will continue to serve as an MP and adviser to his constituency. He has kept his clinical skills warm," Ong wrote.
A decade of public service
Dr Koh entered politics in January 2013 when he contested the Punggol East Single Member Constituency (Punggol East SMC) by-election as a People's Action Party (PAP) candidate. He lost to the Workers' Party's Lee Li Lian, receiving 43.37 per cent of the vote against Lee's 54.5 per cent.
He was elected to Parliament at the 2015 general election as part of the PAP team in Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency (Ang Mo Kio GRC), which won 78.64 per cent of the vote.
On 1 January 2016, Dr Koh was appointed Minister of State at the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Trade and Industry concurrently. He was promoted to Senior Minister of State on 1 May 2017.
He relinquished his portfolio at the Ministry of National Development in April 2018 and was concurrently appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), a position he held until May 2021.
At the 2020 general election, Dr Koh joined the PAP team contesting Tampines GRC and won with 66.41 per cent of the vote, representing the Tampines Central ward.
Labour and manpower contributions
PMO credited Dr Koh with driving efforts to strengthen Singapore's enterprise ecosystem, ensuring that workers benefited from business transformation.
He was described as having helped expand the Progressive Wage Model to additional sectors, advanced protections for platform workers and against workplace discrimination, and championed stronger support for seniors and caregivers.
PMO said Dr Koh "approached issues with care and balance, seeking to support both businesses and workers in a fair and sustainable manner."
Food security and sustainability
At the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, PMO said Dr Koh led efforts to grow Singapore's agri-food sector, strengthen food safety and security, and improve sustainability practices.
He was appointed Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment in June 2022, at which time he relinquished his portfolio at the Ministry of Health. He returned to the Ministry of Health as Senior Minister of State in 2025.
Healthcare policy
PMO noted that Dr Koh, a trained colorectal surgeon, drew on his clinical experience to help shape forward-looking healthcare policies.
His contributions at the Ministry of Health included 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.
Re-elected in 2025
At the May 2025 general election, Dr Koh contested Tampines GRC alongside PAP teammates Charlene Chen, Masagos Zulkifli, Baey Yam Keng, and David Neo.
The contest was a four-way fight involving the PAP, the Workers' Party (WP), the People's Power Party (PPP), and the National Solidarity Party (NSP). The PAP won with 52.02 per cent of the vote against the WP's 47.37 per cent, securing Dr Koh a further five-year term as Member of Parliament.
PMO said that throughout his years in government, Dr Koh "served with dedication, thoughtfulness and a deep sense of duty," and that his contributions "have made a difference to the lives of many Singaporeans."
No replacement appointment has been announced at the time of publication.
