Ong Ye Kung to co-chair Covid-19 task force with Lawrence Wong

As the Health Minister with effect from May 15, Mr Ong Ye Kung will co-chair the task force tackling the Covid-19 pandemic with Mr Lawrence Wong.

Mr Ong succeeds Mr Gan Kim Yong, who has headed the Health Ministry for nearly a decade and will move to lead the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).

Mr Wong, who is currently Education Minister, will take over as Finance Minister next month.

Announcing the changes yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Mr Ong, who is currently Transport Minister, will build on the foundation laid by his predecessor.

He noted that Mr Ong has been dealing with major transport challenges - including working on reopening Singapore's borders and protecting the country's status as an air and sea hub - since he took over the portfolio last year.

"At the Ministry of Health, he will build on the strong foundation laid by Kim Yong in healthcare, and deal with issues like ageing, healthcare infrastructure and healthcare finance," PM Lee said. "These need our unremitting efforts spanning multiple health ministers."

Asked for his expectations of both ministers now co-chairing the task force, PM Lee replied: "I expect all of them to work closely together and cooperate, to make sure that the policies are well coordinated and nothing slips through the cracks."

This is how the entire Cabinet has to work, he added.

It is best that the new Health Minister, who will be tackling the healthcare aspects of the pandemic, sits as co-chair on the task force, PM Lee said in explaining the move.

Meanwhile, Mr Wong was appointed co-chair based not on his previous appointments, but "on a basis personal to him", he added.

PM Lee was also asked how Mr Ong's new appointment as co-chair will affect Singapore's fight against the pandemic, especially given the discovery of a cluster of infections at the Westlite Woodlands dormitory.

In response, the Prime Minister said Second Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng has been overseeing the dormitory situation and will continue to do so after becoming Manpower Minister.

"So, I don't think this change in appointments will impact the specific Westlite dorm situation," PM Lee said.

"It will mean different people in charge of our overall Covid response, but that is something which I think we can take in our stride."

In his speech, PM Lee also noted that Mr Gan has been a "point man" in the fight against Covid-19, and implemented many major healthcare reforms in his term as Health Minister.

In his new role at MTI, Mr Gan will oversee the country's economic recovery and pursue new opportunities, said PM Lee.

He added that Mr Gan is well suited for the post, having previously been Manpower Minister and also having served in MTI early in his career, before spending 16 years in the private sector.