Everything About the New Law That Allows S’pore President & Ministers to Take International Appointments

President to Take Global Roles in Private Capacity Following Constitution Amendment

Our newly instated president, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, is now able to take on international appointments in their private capacities, only if it is in line with national interests.

This newly amended Constitution also applies to ministers of Singapore.

On Wednesday, 22 November 2023, a two-and-a-half hour-long debate was held in Parliament before the Bill was passed to create this new framework in the Constitution.

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lawrence Wong opens the debate stating that there is value for Singapore’s president to be in some international bodies, if done within his private capacity. 

As Members of Parliament (MPs) deliberate over the pros and cons of this decision, Mr Wong steps in to address these concerns.

Mr. Wong states, “This Bill allows (the president) to express private views but still serve in the national interest, doing duties that are integral and part and parcel of presidential duties.”

Un-Presidented Change

One question that was raised during the debate was if presidents before President Shanmugaratnam have held international appointments during their time in office. 

To which, Mr Wong explained that while ministers were able to do this in the past with the permission of the Prime Minister, this would be the first time a president would be able to do so. 

“The Prime Minister cannot authorize the President to do likewise,” Mr Wong further clarified.

The Bill will allow current and future presidents of Singapore to accept international appointments with a few given conditions:

Firstly, the President is prohibited from participating in commercial enterprises.

Second, the Cabinet must assess and advise the President that it is of the nation’s best interest to accept the appointment.

Lastly, the President must concur with the decision made by the Cabinet.

However, the President is also allowed to decline appointments if he considers them as incompatible with his constitutional functions.

How Will it Affect a President’s Current Job Scope?

Several Members of Parliament express skepticism that the President would have sufficient time and resources to participate in international appointments on top of his existing duties.

Namely, MP Gerald Giam from the Workers’ Party (WP) pointed out that by taking part in international appointments, it would “demand a significant investment” of the President’s time and effort.

Fellow WP Minister Dennis Tan also states that the President “only has 24 hours a day” for his duties.

To address the concern, People’s Action Party (PAP)’s MP Christopher de Souza points out that the President is the nation’s “top diplomat” and it would be advantageous to have him as a party to international affairs.

Mr Wong further states that such international affairs are “part and parcel” of a president’s duties, reiterating that it is not a trade-off to handling domestic affairs. 

Potential Conflicts of Interest

When PAP MP Don Wee questions how can the Parliament be assured that the views of the President raised during these international bodies would be of the nation’s best interest.

Mr Wong quickly clarifies, “We are allowing him, when he serves under this new clause, to serve in a way that allows him to contribute his private views, subject to safeguards.”

Serving within his “private capacity” does not mean serving in his “private views”.

As of today, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam holds four international appointments, all of which positions previously held by him when he was serving as senior minister. 

These four positions are: chairman of the board of trustees of the Group of Thirty; member of the World Economic Forum’s board of trustees; co-chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water; and co-chair of the Advisory Board for the United Nations Human Development Report.

With the support of the Cabinet, President Shanmugaratnam will continue to hold these appointments in his private capacity.

At the end of the debate, Mr Wong states that opportunities for Singapore to take up office in highly respected international institutions are hard to come by, and they should be greatly valued. 

He states, “They are invaluable for Singapore and this is indeed how we have built strong relationships with other countries, while safeguarding our interest and ensuring that our voices be heard on the global stage.”