Swearing-in and Re-appointment of Members of the Council of Presidential Advisers

The President has re-appointed Mr S Dhanabalan and Mr Goh Joon Seng as members of the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA), from 2 January 2018 to 1 June 2022. 

Mr S Dhanabalan is re-appointed on the advice of Prime Minister under Article 37B(2)(b)(ii) of the Constitution. Mr S Dhanabalan was first appointed to the CPA on 2 January 2004.

Mr Goh Joon Seng is re-appointed on the advice of the Chairman of the Public Service Commission under Article 37B(2)(b)(iii) of the Constitution.           

Mr Goh Joon Seng was first appointed to the CPA on 2 January 2008.

Mr S Dhanabalan and Mr Goh Joon Seng will be sworn-in on 3 January 2018.   

The present Chairman of the CPA is Mr J Y Pillay. The other members are Mr Po’ad Mattar, Mr Bobby Chin Yoke Choong, Mr Lee Tzu Yang, Mr Lim Chee Onn and Mr Stephen Lee Ching Yen. The two alternate members are Mr Chua Thian Poh and Mr Bahren Shaari. 

PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
3 January 2018

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 his 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 his 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 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.

         CPA membership is drawn into 3 divisions. Each division has one member appointed by the President in his 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 5^th Schedule SBGCs are: Central Provident Fund Board, Housing and Development Board, Jurong Town Corporation, Monetary Authority of Singapore, GIC Pte Ltd and Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd.