‘I’m not running away’: Koh Poh Koon bids farewell at his final event as senior minister of state
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Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon had announced that he would resign from office on June 1.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
SINGAPORE – Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon told attendees at a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) event on May 23 that he will not be running away even as he steps down from political office.
The colorectal surgeon, who had announced that he would resign from office on June 1 due to family reasons, was the guest of honour at the inaugural National Exemplary Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Awards 2026.
Dr Koh, who is also Senior Minister of State for Manpower, said he received a lot of text messages from friends and e-mails from the general public, all of whom sent their encouragement and support.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your encouragement, your support and your partnership, especially those whom I have worked with all these years.
“Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart,” said Dr Koh.
The Tampines GRC MP said that as an elected Member of Parliament, his constituents will always be a priority for him, and he will continue to do his very best for the residents.
“But the needs of family have increased in recent years, and unfortunately for family, I’m the only one they have,” he said.
“I cannot outsource my family to others, so it is a time that I have to take stock and reprioritise. But I was telling some of you that I’m not running away, I’m still going to be around, right?”
Dr Koh said he will continue to be present at “different events” and as an MP.
He added: “So here, I want to just once again say a big thanks to everyone for sending me your text messages and your e-mail, and for your support.”
Dr Koh said that he was glad his “final event” for the Ministry of Health (MOH) was one that celebrates and recognises TCM, because the practice was one of the first areas he looked into during his first stint at the ministry.
He recounted spending “quite a bit of time” talking to many TCM practitioners, colleagues and MOH staff to raise the standards of TCM practice in Singapore.
They also looked at correcting structural issues like wages, training and progression, he added.
Facebook post
Dr Koh’s resignation was announced on May 22 by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Following the announcement, Dr Koh, who has two daughters, said in a Facebook post that he had been an absent husband, father and son since he stepped into politics in 2015, placing the needs of Singapore and his constituents above his family.
In a separate post, PM Wong said he has known Dr Koh for many years, including when they served together at the Ministry of National Development.
He thanked 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.
Other office-holders, including Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, also took to Facebook to pay tribute to Dr Koh for his service.
