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SINGAPORE – The appointment of the Attorney-General (AG) is not a perfunctory process but one that reflects a balance between executive responsibility and institutional safeguards, Law Minister Edwin Tong said on March 2.<\/p>\n
Disagreeing with Workers\u2019 Party MP Sylvia Lim\u2019s (Aljunied GRC) description of the appointment process as thin, Mr Tong noted that under the Constitution, the Prime Minister must first consult the Chief Justice and the chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) before tendering his advice on the appointment to the President.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter receiving that advice, the President in turn consults the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA), and makes an independent assessment of the appointment,\u201d added Minister Tong during the debate on his ministry\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Attorney-General Lucien Wong, 72,<\/p>\n <\/a> was appointed to his fourth term in January 2026.<\/p>\n During the\u00a0debate on Feb 27, Ms Lim raised a question on the appointment process of the AG, describing it as thin, as there is no requirement for the deliberations to be publicly disclosed.<\/p>\n Ms Lim had previously expressed concerns when Mr Wong was first appointed AG in 2017, noting at the time that he had worked with then Law Minister K. Shanmugam in the same law firm, and had <\/p>\n advised then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on matters relating to the Lee estate<\/p>\n <\/a> as his personal lawyer.<\/p>\n In his speech, Mr Tong said that while AGs in other countries are elected office holders, Singapore has had a different model since independence.<\/p>\n \u201cOur Attorney-General is not a politician. He is appointed based on professional excellence, integrity and judgment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe safeguards, however, lie in the constitutional requirements and qualifications required, the consultative process that I have just outlined, and ultimately in the performance and the conduct of the office,\u201d added Mr Tong.<\/p>\n The minister also disagreed with Ms Lim\u2019s suggestion that there should be public disclosure of the deliberations involved in the appointment.<\/p>\n He said that the appointment of the AG involves matters for the chairman of the PSC and the CPA to assess.<\/p>\n \u201cThe CPA, for instance, does not publish its advice to the President, nor is the Government privy to its deliberations,\u201d said Mr Tong.<\/p>\n He added that the confidential nature of these deliberations serve an important function, as suitable candidates may well be deterred from even being considered if discussions on their suitability and rejection were to be made public.<\/p>\n Mr Tong went on to explain what the Government looks for when appointing an AG, which he said is one of the most critical offices in Singapore\u2019s constitutional framework.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Attorney-General must also have unimpeachable integrity and strong moral fibre.<\/p>\n \u201cHe must render objective advice and act fairly in the conduct of prosecutions, even when doing so may be difficult or unpopular. He must be prepared to uphold the law impartially and apply it equally to everyone, whether one is the minister or the leader of the Opposition,\u201d said the minister, adding that such individuals with requisite experience, judgment and integrity for the office are not easily found.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Government continually looks out for suitable candidates, one who can shoulder the full weight of these responsibilities.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time, in making any appointments, the Government also takes into account a range of considerations, including the performance of the incumbent, his ability and willingness to serve, and whether there are significant ongoing matters that require continuity and careful oversight.\u201d <\/p>\n