The 1991 Constitutional Amendment also provided for the establishment of a Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) to advise the President. It is obligatory for the President to consult the Council before he vetoes the budgets of the Government and key government-linked bodies and the appointments of government nominees to key posts.
The Council comprises six members, of whom two are appointed by the President at his discretion, two are the Prime Minister's nominees, one is the Chief Justice's nominee and the sixth, the nominee of the Chairman of the 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 4 years each. The present Chairman, Mr
J Y Pillay is also the Chairman of the Singapore Exchange Limited. As Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers, 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.
Back (from left to right):
Mr S Dhanabalan, Mr J Y Pillay, Prof Cham Tao Soon
Front (from left to right):
Dr Cheong Siew Keong, Mr Sim Kee Boon, Mr Ridzwan bin Haji Dzafir
Click on the above photo for enlarged view
