10 Facts About Gan Kim Yong, Our New DPM Who’s “Not Quite 4G”

Yesterday (13 May), Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Lawrence Wong announced his new Cabinet for when he officially takes over as Singapore’s Prime Minister on 15 May.

If you think the Cabinet I’m referring to is a wooden piece of furniture, you might want to read our previous article on the new Cabinet to get on the same page.

In his announcement, DPM Wong said he has chosen Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong as his new DPM, who will work alongside fellow DPM Heng Swee Keat.

This came as a surprise to many, who expected DPM Wong, 51, to select one of his peers for the role.

DPM Wong has said he is looking for “fresh blood”, though his decision to choose Gan Kim Yong instead of a 4G (4th Generation) leader indicates that DPM Wong is prioritising experience in the short run.

DPM Wong also said the new Cabinet was formed with “continuity and stability” as key factors taken into consideration, so I guess it makes sense that he chose an older, more experienced leader for the role of DPM.

Most people only keep up with the Finance, Health, and Education Ministries because there’s really so many announcements and initiatives every week that it’s hard to keep track of everything.

Because of this, you may not know much about our next DPM, who has been the Minister for Trade and Industry since 2021.

Fret not, because here’s 10 facts about Gan Kim Yong, who we will soon be referring to as “DPM Gan”.

He Is Married and Has Two Daughters

Gan Kim Yong is married to Esther Gan.

The couple has two daughters.

He’s “Not Quite 4G”

65-year-old Gan Kim Yong said on 13 May that he was “not quite 4G,” though he is honoured to be given this opportunity and will do his best to support soon-to-be PM Wong and his team.

Having entered politics in 2001, Mr Gan has been involved in politics a decade longer than DPM Wong and DPM Heng, who were both elected in 2011.

Mr Gan made his political debut as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC and won by an uncontested walkover. He was elected as the Member of Parliament representing the Zhenghua ward of Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC.

He then contested in Chua Chu Kang SMC in 2006, winning with 60.37% of the vote, and eventually, when SMC was merged into Chua Chu Kang GRC, he contested in a five-member team, and has stayed in this GRC since then.

In 2005, he was appointed as Minister of State for Education and Minister of State for Manpower.

He was appointed as Acting Minister for Manpower in 2008 and was promoted to full Minister one year later.

In 2011, he relinquished his role as Manpower Minister and took up a new portfolio as Health Minister. He maintained his role as Minister of Health for 10 years before being appointed Minister for Trade and Industry in 2021.

Pre-Politics Career

Before he entered politics, Gan began his career in the Administrative Service, working at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Home Affairs.

He left the Administrative Service for the private sector in 1989 and joined NatSteel – one of the largest steel producers in the Asia Pacific – as a manager for Corporate Planning.

In 1996, he became Executive Vice-President of NatSteel and CEO of NatSteel Resorts International and NatSteel Properties.

In 2005, he became President and CEO of NatSteel.

Not many people can say they’ve been a CEO and a DPM in their lifetime, but Gan Kim Yong will be able to from tomorrow.

He Graduated From the University of Cambridge

No, Gan Kim Yong did not graduate from Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Institution, or Anglo Chinese School Independent.

He did, however, complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in electrical engineering at the University of Cambridge in 1981 after receiving an Overseas Merit Scholarship from the Singapore government.

Mr Gan subsequently received a Master of Arts from the University of Cambridge in 1985.

Engineering Training Shaped Him to Be a Problem Solver

“When will I ever use this in the future?”

It’s a common phrase said by many students.

After all, I don’t think your usual office job will ask you what the mitochondria does or how to prove if a triangle is right-angled.

Reader: It’s literally a right-angled triangle, why do I need to prove it? Examiners don’t know how to open their eyes ah?

While you may not exactly need the information you learn in school, the skills you pick up along the way are invaluable.

In a speech 19 years ago, Gan Kim Yong described how his engineering training had taught him the basic skills to solve complex problems that do not come with an “instruction sheet”.

“Whether it is a business challenge, a management problem or a political issue, my approach is similar. Break down big problems into smaller ones, identify the source of the problems, decide on the method to deal with it, find the right person for the job and it will get done,” he said.

He may not have to apply his complex engineering formulas in his day-to-day work as a Minister, but the skills he picked up along the way have allowed him to become the leader and problem-solver he is today.

He Was Minister for Manpower During the 2009 Economic Recession

As Minister for Manpower, Mr Gan led Singapore through an economic crisis.

He led efforts to save jobs and minimise mass retrenchments during the economic recession in 2009.

Under his charge, the ministry ramped up efforts on productivity improvements to enhance the quality of the nation’s workforce.

He also expanded Singapore’s Continuing Education and Training (CET) system for a globally competitive workforce.

The CET Masterplan enables working adults, regardless of their starting qualifications, to continue to build and sharpen their skills and competencies throughout their careers.

He Was Health Minister When COVID-19 Hit Singapore

As if one crisis wasn’t enough, Gan Kim Yong found himself leading Singapore through yet another crisis a decade after the economic recession.

Nowadays, COVID-19 is no big deal. Most people just take about three days off to recover and fight it like it’s a regular flu.

But back then, COVID-19 was absolutely terrifying.

People were dying and COVID-19 transmissions were soaring, causing many countries to go into lockdown.

When the pandemic reached Singapore in early 2020, Gan Kim Yong was Health Minister.

Talk about being stressed.

Gan Kim Yong was described as a “point man”, or the leader in the forefront, when he co-chaired the Multi-Ministry Taskforce with Mr Wong.

From 2020 to 2021, Mr Gan directed and coordinated Singapore’s response to the pandemic.

Even after a Cabinet reshuffle saw Ong Ye Kung taking on the role of Health Minister, Mr Gan stayed on as co-chair.

Impact as a Health Minister

When Gan Kim Yong was a Health Minister, he drove a masterplan to ensure accessibility, quality, and affordability of healthcare in Singapore.

He oversaw launches of key packages and schemes such as the Pioneer Generation Package, Merdeka Generation Package, CareShield Life, and MediShield Life.

The Pioneer Generation Package and Merdeka Generation Package offer benefits such as MediSave top-ups and outpatient care subsidies to eligible Singaporeans.

MediShield Life and CareShield Life are insurance schemes which provide protection against large hospital bills and long-term care costs.

“Ageing Minister”

Gan Kim Yong drove policy-making on Singapore’s ageing population as then head of the Ministerial Committee on Ageing.

The Committee was established to coordinate government policies and programmes related to population ageing. In 2015, the Committee launched an Action for Successful Ageing, forming the blueprint for preparing Singaporeans to age well.

Mr Gan’s portfolio was called Minister-in-Charge of Ageing, though some humorously referred to him as the “ageing minister”.

Not really something you’d want to be called, I think.

Similarities Between Shooting and Life

Back in 2007, Mr Gan shared his view on life with student athletes at a shooting meet.

“Firstly, like shooting, in life, we need to have good eyesight and stay sharply focused on our target, our goal in life,” he said then.

Mr Gan said that anybody and everybody can make a positive contribution to society in their own unique way.

“Secondly, we need to have steady hands in shooting. In life, it is the same. We must stay on the course,” he continued.

He said he was told to hold his breath when he pressed the trigger, which he compared to holding one’s breath when the going gets tough in life.

“If we waver, we will stray off-course and miss the bullseye.”

“Thirdly, we must be resilient. Life is like a shooting competition – very stressful. We must compete against many others, some of whom may be more skilful than we are.”

“However, if we have stronger character and are more resilient, we can outlast them and emerge winners,” Mr Gan said.

With such wise words spoken, all eyes are now turned to Gan Kim Yong to watch him take on the role of Deputy Prime Minister tomorrow.

In a speech yesterday, Mr Gan said, “Together with DPM Heng, I will do my best to support the Prime Minister and help my younger colleagues, in any way I can, to build a strong team that will lead us forward.”