Health Minister Ong Ye Kung revealed that he used to be "very shy" when he was younger.

As such, if he gets to speak to his 18-year-old self, Ong would give him this piece of advice: "Get to meet more people, especially girls."

He revealed this in a TikTok video titled "Quick Fire Questions with the Minister for Health," where he answered questions submitted by members of the public via Instagram.

@ongyekungYou asked, I answered.♬ original sound - Ye Kung Ong

Fan of rock music and Manchester United

Besides revealing that he was a shy person in his younger days, Ong also shared in the video that he enjoyed rock music.

Some of his favourite rock bands include Journey, Guns N' Roses, and The Beatles.

Ong also identified himself as a fan of the English football club Manchester United and shared a photo of himself taking a selfie in front of the club's home, Old Trafford Stadium, in May 2023.

When asked how he felt about being a fan of Manchester United now, Ong said he was "very sad" but added that fans could wait for the club to bounce back.

As of Mar. 30, 2024, Manchester United ranked sixth amongst the 20 clubs participating in the 2023/2024 season of the Premier League.

This means that the club has slipped three places from its rankings in the 2022/2023 season, leaving its appearance in the upcoming season of the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) Europa League in question.

Best Bak Chor Mee?

If you enjoy bak chor mee (minced meat noodles), Ong recommended two "very good" stalls that sell this dish.

While he did not name the stalls, Ong said both of them are located at Kaki Bukit 511 Market and Food Centre.

And here's another clue: they both serve soup-based bak chor mee.

One possible stall that fits Ong's description is Tian Nan Xing Minced Pork Noodle, a family business that has been running for four generations, according to its signboard.

According to patrons who reviewed the stall on Google, a bowl of bak chor mee costs around S$4 to S$6.50.

Health-related questions

Several questions related to Ong's portfolio as the health minister.

At the start of the video, Ong's cameraman posed a question that was submitted by a person who claimed to be a secondary school student: "How do I know if puberty has ended for me?"

In response, Ong first clarified that the question was about puberty before he repeated the question in disbelief: "When is your puberty over?"

He "answered" the question by sitting on the bench with a smile like this:

Ong was also asked how he keeps fit despite his busy schedule, to which Ong said he exercises every day.

Specifically, he wakes up every morning at 5:30am to ensure he gets 45 minutes to one hour of exercise.

Healthcare-related questions

Is Singapore still searching for a "real antidote" for Covid-19? Ong's reply to this question is that there is no such thing.

Instead, Singapore can "learn to live with it" by having "good hygiene habits" and taking "an annual jab", especially for seniors or those who are vulnerable to the disease.

As for his aspirations for the healthcare industry, Ong said he hopes Singapore's population will become a healthy one, achieving a true "Blue Zone 3.0".

The term "Blue Zone" refers to places with the healthiest, longest-living populations where it is not uncommon to see people living to 100 or beyond.

Ong referenced this term in 2023, when he mentioned that Netflix's docuseries "Live to 100: secrets of the Blue Zones" had classified Singapore as a "Blue Zone".

It highlighted that Singapore was able to record one of the highest lifespans and health spans in the world through "infrastructure and programmes" that nudge Singaporeans toward healthier behaviour, rather than healthy habits inherent in Singapore's traditional culture or lifestyle.

To transform Singapore into a Blue Zone 3.0, Ong said the country will be "embarking on many interventions to reshape the Singapore lifestyle", even if it might take a generation to achieve this goal:

"Our aspiration is to be not a Blue Zone 1.0 or a Blue Zone 2.0, but a Blue Zone 3.0. It means we recognise we do not have a culture of healthy lifestyle. But as 2.0, we nudge people to adopt better health habits through policies and then over time, we become 3.0, where they evolve into new norms and ways of life."

Top images via Ong Ye Kung's TikTok

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