News Releases
Swearing-in and Appointment of Member and Alternate Member of the Council of Presidential Advisers
9 January 2020
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The President has appointed the following persons to the Council of Presidential Advisers:
Table caption
(1) | Mr Bahren Shaari | Member | Appointed by the President, acting in her discretion, under Article 37B(2)(b)(i) of the Constitution from2 January 2020 to 1 June 2022. |
|---|---|---|---|
(2) | Mrs Mildred Tan-Sim Beng Mei | Alternate Member | Appointed by the President, on the advice of the Prime Minister in consultation with Chief Justice and Chairman of the Public Service Commission, under Article 37C(2)(b) of the Constitution from 2January 2020 to 1 January 2024. |
Mr Bahren will replace Mr Bobby Chin, whose term on the Council expired on 1 January 2020 after 10 years of service.
With these changes, the composition of the Council is as follows:
Chairman
Mr Eddie Teo
Members
Mr S Dhanabalan
Mr Po’ad Bin Shaik Abu Bakar Mattar
Mr Goh Joon Seng
Mr Lim Chee Onn
Mr Stephen Lee Ching Yen
Mr Chua Thian Poh
Mr Bahren Shaari
Alternate Members
Ms Chua Sock Koong
Mrs Mildred Tan-Sim Beng Mei
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
9 JANUARY 2020
Additional Information on 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[1]), and in the appointments of key personnel in the public service and 5th Schedule SBGCs.
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 when exercising her discretionary powers related to all fiscal and appointment-related matters.
The Council comprises eight members and two alternate members. Three members are appointed by the President at her discretion; three 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 her 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.
CPA membership is drawn into 3 divisions. Each division has one member appointed by the President in her discretion and one member appointed on the Prime Minister’s advice. In addition, the first division has a member appointed on the Chief Justice’s advice, and the second division has a member appointed on the PSC Chairman’s advice. Each member’s appointment expires every sixth year. The 3 divisions are staggered so that every 2 years, all seats in a division will expire together. If a seat is prematurely vacated, the Constitution provides that the term of the replacement member is subject to the expiry date of the member he replaces, so as to preserve the staggering. Alternate members are appointed on a four-year term.
[1] The 5th Schedule SBGCs are: Central Provident Fund Board, Housing and Development Board, JTC Corporation, Monetary Authority of Singapore, GIC Pte Ltd and Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd.