Koh Poh Koon: Difference between revisions
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Koh Poh Koon (born 16 March 1972) is a Singaporean politician from the [[People's Action Party]] (PAP) and former colorectal surgeon. He has been the Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment since 2022 and Senior Minister of State for Manpower since 2021. | {{Infobox-person | ||
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'''Koh Poh Koon''' (born 16 March 1972) is a Singaporean politician from the [[People's Action Party]] (PAP) and former colorectal surgeon. He has been the Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment since 2022 and Senior Minister of State for Manpower since 2021. | |||
Prior to entering politics, Koh had an extensive career in medical science. He used to be a practitioner, a scientist, and also a lecturer. | Prior to entering politics, Koh had an extensive career in medical science. He used to be a practitioner, a scientist, and also a lecturer. | ||
== Education == | |||
He attended MacRitchie Primary School, Maris Stella High School, and Hwa Chong Junior College. He graduated from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1996 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree. | He attended MacRitchie Primary School, Maris Stella High School, and Hwa Chong Junior College. He graduated from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1996 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree. | ||
He later earned a Master of Medicine (MMed) in surgery at NUS and obtained fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. Koh also received two Health Manpower Development Programme Scholarships from the Ministry of Health (MOH) to take advanced training in inflammatory bowel disease surgery at the University of Edinburgh and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. | He later earned a Master of Medicine (MMed) in surgery at NUS and obtained fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. Koh also received two Health Manpower Development Programme Scholarships from the Ministry of Health (MOH) to take advanced training in inflammatory bowel disease surgery at the University of Edinburgh and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. | ||
== Medical career == | |||
Koh was the founding director of the Colorectal Cancer Genomic Health Service at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). He worked as a consultant colorectal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and was a visiting consultant at SGH and Changi General Hospital. | Koh was the founding director of the Colorectal Cancer Genomic Health Service at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). He worked as a consultant colorectal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and was a visiting consultant at SGH and Changi General Hospital. | ||
In addition to his medical practice, Koh was a clinical lecturer at NUS, an adjunct assistant professor at Duke-NUS Medical School, and an adjunct clinician scientist at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). | In addition to his medical practice, Koh was a clinical lecturer at NUS, an adjunct assistant professor at Duke-NUS Medical School, and an adjunct clinician scientist at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). | ||
== Political career == | |||
== Entry into Politics (2013 By-election) == | |||
Koh entered politics in January 2013, contesting as the [[People's Action Party]] (PAP) candidate in the Punggol East SMC by-election. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of then-MP Michael Palmer due to an extramarital affair. Koh ran against three candidates: | Koh entered politics in January 2013, contesting as the [[People's Action Party]] (PAP) candidate in the Punggol East SMC by-election. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of then-MP Michael Palmer due to an extramarital affair. Koh ran against three candidates: | ||
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In April 2018, Koh was appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), a position he held until May 2021. | In April 2018, Koh was appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), a position he held until May 2021. | ||
== 2020 General Election – Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC == | |||
For the 2020 general election, Koh switched constituencies to join the five-member PAP team contesting in Tampines GRC. The team won 66.41% of the vote against the National Solidarity Party (NSP), and Koh became the MP for Tampines Central. | For the 2020 general election, Koh switched constituencies to join the five-member PAP team contesting in Tampines GRC. The team won 66.41% of the vote against the National Solidarity Party (NSP), and Koh became the MP for Tampines Central. | ||
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In June 2022, Koh became Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, while relinquishing his Ministry of Health portfolio. | In June 2022, Koh became Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, while relinquishing his Ministry of Health portfolio. | ||
== Debate over independent workers' unions == | |||
Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied GRC, Gerald Giam, and Senior Minister of State for Manpower, Dr Koh Poh Koon were involved in an argument in the parliamentary meeting on 10 September 2024 regarding the Platform Workers Bill. | Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied GRC, Gerald Giam, and Senior Minister of State for Manpower, Dr Koh Poh Koon were involved in an argument in the parliamentary meeting on 10 September 2024 regarding the Platform Workers Bill. | ||
Giam called for the need for independent workers' unions so they could got involved in a tripartite dialogue and defended workers' rights effectively. While Koh questioned the WP plan to distance from workers' unions, given the party's historical root was from workers and unions.<ref>https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2024/09/10/pritam-singh-schools-koh-poh-koon-on-ntucs-history-during-debate-on-workers-representation/</ref> | Giam called for the need for independent workers' unions so they could got involved in a tripartite dialogue and defended workers' rights effectively. While Koh questioned the WP plan to distance from workers' unions, given the party's historical root was from workers and unions.<ref>https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2024/09/10/pritam-singh-schools-koh-poh-koon-on-ntucs-history-during-debate-on-workers-representation/</ref> | ||
== Support for agriculture industry == | |||
Koh supported the country's local food producers despite not meeting nutritional standards. He argued that consumers' support is essential even though the government provides research and development financial aid and capital expenditure.<ref>https://gutzy.asia/2024/05/27/dr-koh-poh-koon-defends-high-tech-farming-resilience-amid-i-f-f-i-closes-tuas-facility/</ref> | Koh supported the country's local food producers despite not meeting nutritional standards. He argued that consumers' support is essential even though the government provides research and development financial aid and capital expenditure.<ref>https://gutzy.asia/2024/05/27/dr-koh-poh-koon-defends-high-tech-farming-resilience-amid-i-f-f-i-closes-tuas-facility/</ref> | ||
== Social Media Pages == | |||
[https://www.instagram.com/kohpohkoon/ Instagram] | [https://www.instagram.com/kohpohkoon/ Instagram] | ||
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2. https://gutzy.asia/2024/05/27/dr-koh-poh-koon-defends-high-tech-farming-resilience-amid-i-f-f-i-closes-tuas-facility/ | 2. https://gutzy.asia/2024/05/27/dr-koh-poh-koon-defends-high-tech-farming-resilience-amid-i-f-f-i-closes-tuas-facility/ | ||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
[[ Category: Politicians]] | [[Category:Politicians]] | ||
[[Category:PAP]] | [[Category:PAP]] | ||
Revision as of 21:53, 9 February 2025
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Koh Poh Koon (born 16 March 1972) is a Singaporean politician from the People's Action Party (PAP) and former colorectal surgeon. He has been the Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment since 2022 and Senior Minister of State for Manpower since 2021.
Prior to entering politics, Koh had an extensive career in medical science. He used to be a practitioner, a scientist, and also a lecturer.
Education
He attended MacRitchie Primary School, Maris Stella High School, and Hwa Chong Junior College. He graduated from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1996 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree.
He later earned a Master of Medicine (MMed) in surgery at NUS and obtained fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. Koh also received two Health Manpower Development Programme Scholarships from the Ministry of Health (MOH) to take advanced training in inflammatory bowel disease surgery at the University of Edinburgh and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
Medical career
Koh was the founding director of the Colorectal Cancer Genomic Health Service at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). He worked as a consultant colorectal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and was a visiting consultant at SGH and Changi General Hospital.
In addition to his medical practice, Koh was a clinical lecturer at NUS, an adjunct assistant professor at Duke-NUS Medical School, and an adjunct clinician scientist at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).
Political career
Entry into Politics (2013 By-election)
Koh entered politics in January 2013, contesting as the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate in the Punggol East SMC by-election. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of then-MP Michael Palmer due to an extramarital affair. Koh ran against three candidates:
Lee Li Lian (Workers' Party)
Kenneth Jeyaretnam (Reform Party)
Desmond Lim (Singapore Democratic Alliance)
He secured 43.37% of the vote but lost to Lee Li Lian, who won with 54.5%. During the campaign, Koh referred to himself as "kaki lang" (Teochew for "one of us") and called himself the "son of Punggol". However, a comment he made about car ownership—"Everybody has a car, we have two"—was widely criticized as elitist. Koh later admitted he misspoke, stating, "It's not logical, even an idiot wouldn’t say that. So it was partly my fault."
2015 General Election – Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC In the 2015 general election, Koh contested in Ang Mo Kio GRC as part of a six-member PAP team led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The team won 78.64% of the vote, securing victory against the Reform Party. Koh was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Yio Chu Kang ward.
Following his election, Koh was appointed as Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Minister of State for National Development on 1 January 2016. He was later promoted to Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry in 2017 and concurrently served as Senior Minister of State for National Development until April 2018.
In April 2018, Koh was appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), a position he held until May 2021.
2020 General Election – Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC
For the 2020 general election, Koh switched constituencies to join the five-member PAP team contesting in Tampines GRC. The team won 66.41% of the vote against the National Solidarity Party (NSP), and Koh became the MP for Tampines Central.
On 27 July 2020, he became Senior Minister of State for Health. In May 2021, he took on an additional appointment as Senior Minister of State for Manpower.
In June 2022, Koh became Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, while relinquishing his Ministry of Health portfolio.
Debate over independent workers' unions
Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied GRC, Gerald Giam, and Senior Minister of State for Manpower, Dr Koh Poh Koon were involved in an argument in the parliamentary meeting on 10 September 2024 regarding the Platform Workers Bill.
Giam called for the need for independent workers' unions so they could got involved in a tripartite dialogue and defended workers' rights effectively. While Koh questioned the WP plan to distance from workers' unions, given the party's historical root was from workers and unions.[1]
Support for agriculture industry
Koh supported the country's local food producers despite not meeting nutritional standards. He argued that consumers' support is essential even though the government provides research and development financial aid and capital expenditure.[2]