Re-appointment of Mr J Y Pillay as CPA Chairman & Person Exercising Functions of Office of President

        President Tony Tan Keng Yam, in the exercise of powers vested in him by Article 37B(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore and on the advice of Prime Minister, has re-appointed Mr J Y Pillay as a member of the Presidential Council of Advisers (CPA). President Tan has also in exercise of the powers vested in him by Article 37B(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore and acting in his discretion, re-appointed Mr Pillay as the Chairman of the CPA. Both re-appointments are for a further period of four years with effect from 2 January 2015.

        Mr Pillay was also sworn-in and reappointed as the Person Exercising the Functions of the Office of the President for a further period of four years with effect from 2 January 2015.

        The appointment and swearing in ceremony, which was conducted in the Istana, was attended by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and members of the CPA.

        Mr Pillay was first appointed to the CPA on 2 January 2001, and has served as Chairman of the CPA since 2 September 2005. As Chairman of the CPA, Mr Pillay exercises the functions of the office of the President in the absence of the President. If he is unavailable, this duty then falls on the Speaker of Parliament.

PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
2 JANUARY 2015

Explanatory Note to the Editors

The Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA)

        The Constitution of Singapore gives the Elected President custodial and discretionary powers in the safeguarding of the past reserves of the Government and 5th Schedule Statutory Boards and Government Companies (5th Schedule SBGCs), and in the appointments of key personnel in the public service and 5th Schedule SBGCs which include: Central Provident Fund Board, Housing and Development Board, Jurong Town Corporation; Monetary Authority of Singapore; GIC Pte Ltd; MND Holdings Pte Ltd and Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd.

        The Constitution also provides for a Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) to advise the President in the exercise of these custodial and discretionary powers. It is obligatory for the President to consult the CPA before he vetoes the budgets of the Government and key government-linked bodies and the appointments of key personnel in the public service and the key Government-linked bodies.

        The CPA, which was formed in 1992, comprises six members and two alternate members. Two members are appointed by the President at his discretion; two are the Prime Minister's nominees; one is the Chief Justice's nominee; and one is the nominee of the Chairman of the Public Service Commission. One alternate member is appointed by the President at his discretion while the other is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, in consultation with the Chief Justice and Chairman of Public Service Commission.

        Members are appointed on a six-year term on their first appointment. They are eligible for re-appointment for further terms of four years each. Alternate Members are also eligible for re-appointment for further terms of four years each.

        The present Chairman of the CPA is Mr J Y Pillay. The other members are Mr S Dhanabalan, Mr Po’ad Bin Shaik Abu Bakar Mattar, Mr Goh Joon Seng, Mr Bobby Chin Yoke Choong and Mr Lee Tzu Yang. The two alternate members are Mr Lim Chee Onn and Mr Stephen Lee Ching Yen.