Other Presidential Councils
Learn more about the roles of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights and the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony.
Presidential Council for Minority Rights
Role of the Council
Examine all legislation to ensure that they are not disadvantageous to any racial or religious community.
Consider matters affecting any racial or religious community referred by Parliament or the Government.
Advise the President on nominations to:
Presidential Council for Religious Harmony
Malay Community Committee
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 18 Members:
Chairman
The Hon Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon
Permanent members
Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister
Mr Goh Chok Tong, Emeritus Senior Minister
Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law
Mr S Dhanabalan
Mr Abdullah Tarmugi
Other members
Mr Lucien Wong, Attorney-General
Mr Othman Haron Eusofe
Mr Timothy James de Souza
Prof Chan Heng Chee
Mr Barry Desker
Mr Philip Jeyaretnam
His Eminence Cardinal William Goh
Mr Surjit Singh s/o Wazir Singh
Venerable Sik Kwang Sheng
Mr Syed Hassan bin Syed Mohamed Bin Salim Al-Attas
Dr Nazirudin bin Mohd Nasir
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
Advise the President on matters affecting the maintenance of religious harmony in Singapore, referred by either the Minister for Home Affairs or Parliament.
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
Venerable Seck Kwang Phing (Buddhist Representative)
Cardinal William Goh Seng Chye (Roman Catholic Representative)
Mr M Rajaram (Hindu Representative)
Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir (Muslim Representative)
Bishop Emeritus Wee Boon Hup (Protestant Representative)
Mr Surjit Singh s/o Wazir Singh (Sikh Representative)
A/Prof Lee Cheuk Yin (Taoist Representative)
Prof Lily Kong (Layperson)
Ms Juthika Ramanathan (Layperson)
