SINGAPORE – President Halimah Yacob has appointed a member and an alternate member to the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA).

Singtel group chief executive Chua Sock Koong, who was an alternate member, was made a member on Tuesday (June 2).

She replaces former Singapore Airlines chairman Stephen Lee Ching Yen, whose term on the council expired on Monday after 12 years of service, the President’s Office said on Wednesday in conjunction with the first virtual swearing-in and appointment ceremony of the council members.

ExxonMobil Asia-Pacific chairman and managing director Gan Seow Kee, who is also vice-chairman of the Singapore Business Federation, was appointed an alternate member on Tuesday.

The CPA advises the President on the use of her discretionary and custodial powers. It is obligatory for the President to consult the CPA when exercising her discretionary powers related to all fiscal and appointment matters.

The council consists of eight members and two alternate members, who are appointed by the President or nominated by the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice and the chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Each member’s appointment expires every sixth year, while alternate members are appointed on a four-year term.

The CPA is chaired by Mr Eddie Teo, who was PSC chairman until he retired in 2018. He was reappointed chairman on Tuesday, together with former Keppel Corp executive chairman Lim Chee Onn, who was reappointed as a member.

Mr Teo was appointed by the President as a member on the advice of Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon.

Ms Chua was appointed by the President as a member on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Mr Lim was reappointed as a member by the President acting at her discretion.

Mr Gan was appointed as an alternate member by the President acting at her discretion.

In addition, the President, acting at her discretion, reappointed Mr Teo as CPA chairman.

The CPA’s other members include former Cabinet minister S. Dhanabalan; former managing partner of accounting firm Deloitte & Touche Po’ad Shaik Abu Bakar Mattar; former Supreme Court judge Goh Joon Seng; founder, chairman and CEO of Ho Bee Group Chua Thian Poh; and Bank of Singapore CEO Bahren Shaari, who was made a member on Jan 2.

The second alternate member is Mrs Mildred Tan, who retired as managing director at Ernst & Young Advisory in 2018, and was appointed as an alternate member on Jan 2.

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