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The Istana

Other Presidential Councils

Learn more about the roles of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights and the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony.

Last updated 5 February 2026

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Presidential Council for Minority Rights
Presidential Council for Religious Harmony

Presidential Council for Minority Rights

Role of the Council

1.    Examine all legislation to ensure that they are not disadvantageous to any racial or religious community.

2.    Consider matters affecting any racial or religious community referred by Parliament or the Government.

3.    Advise the President on nominations to:

o   Presidential Council for Religious Harmony

o   Malay Community Committee

o   Indian and Other Minorities Communities Committee

Appointing a Member of the Council

Members of the Council are appointed by the President on the advice of the Cabinet.

Currently, the Council comprises 19 Members:

Table caption

Chairman

The Hon Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon

Permanent Members

  1. Mr Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance

  2. Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister

  3. Mr Goh Chok Tong, Emeritus Senior Minister

  4. Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs

  5. Mr S Dhanabalan

  6. Mr Abdullah Tarmugi 

Other Members

  1. Attorney-General Lucien Wong

  2. Mr Othman Haron Eusofe

  3. Mr Timothy James de Souza

  4. Prof Chan Heng Chee

  5. Mr Barry Desker

  6. Justice Philip Jeyaretnam

  7. His Eminence Cardinal William Goh

  8. Mr Surjit Singh s/o Wazir Singh

  9. Venerable Sik Kwang Sheng

  10. Mr Syed Hassan bin Syed Mohamed Bin Salim Al-Attas

  11. Mufti Dr Nazirudin bin Mohd Nasir

  12. Mr Mohamed Sa’at Abdul Rahman

Presidential Council for Religious Harmony

The Presidential Council for Religious Harmony was set up under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act.

Role of the Council

  1. Advise the President on matters affecting the maintenance of religious harmony in Singapore, referred by either the Minister for Home Affairs or Parliament.

  2. Consider and make recommendations to the President on restraining orders issued under the Act.

Appointing a Member of the Council

The Chairman and members are appointed by the President. The Council serves a three-year term.

The Council can number from six to 15 members, excluding the Chairman.

The current Council comprises:

Chairman

Mr Chao Hick Tin

Members

  1. Venerable Seck Kwang Phing (Buddhist Representative)

  2. Cardinal William Goh Seng Chye (Roman Catholic Representative)

  3. Mr M Rajaram (Hindu Representative)

  4. Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir (Muslim Representative)

  5. Bishop Emeritus Wee Boon Hup (Protestant Representative)

  6. Mr Surjit Singh s/o Wazir Singh (Sikh Representative)

  7. A/Prof Lee Cheuk Yin (Taoist Representative)

  8. Prof Lily Kong (Layperson)

  9. Ms Juthika Ramanathan (Layperson)