The role of an attorney-general (AG) is one of the most critical offices in Singapore’s constitutional framework and is not just about meeting minimum qualifications, said Minister for Law Edwin Tong.
Tong, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs, was speaking at the Ministry of Law’s Committee of Supply debate in Parliament on Monday (March 2).
During the Committee of Supply debate for the ministry last Friday, Workers’ Party (WP) MP Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) raised a cut on the appointment of AG, following the reappointment of Lucien Wong for a fourth term of three years until January 2029.
Lim had suggested that the appointment process required by the constitution is “currently thin”, adding that there is no requirement for public disclosure about any of these deliberations.
While she acknowledged that the AG has had a distinguished legal career, Lim noted that Wong will turn 75 at the end of his current term, while there “appear to be many qualified persons” available for the post.
“Addressing these issues publicly would promote greater trust in our legal system,” the WP MP added.
AG has ‘made major contributions’
Responding to Lim, the law minister highlighted that Lucien Wong had “grew and led” Singapore’s largest law firm prior to becoming AG.
“(He) was widely regarded as the country’s top corporate lawyer over many years, with an international standing,” Tong noted.
Prior to his appointment as Singapore’s ninth post-independence attorney-general, Wong was managing partner at Allen & Gledhill from 1998 to 2012, when he also became its chairman and senior partner.
Tong went on to set out the Attorney-General’s Chamber’s role in advising the Government on complex legal and constitutional matters, such as conducting the fair and firm prosecution of criminal offences, and ensuring that the legislation introduced in Parliament is “clear, sound and fit” for Singapore, said Tong.
