President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has accepted positions at four international organisations after the Amendments to Singapore's Constitution were passed in Parliament on Nov. 22.

The amendments allow the president and ministers of Singapore to accept appointments in foreign and international organisations in their private capacities, if required by the national interest.

According to an electronic edition of the Government Gazette published on Nov. 24, that upon the advice of the Cabinet, he accepted the following roles:

• Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Group of Thirty (G-30),
• Member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum (WEF)
• Co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW), and
• Co-Chair of the United Nations Human Development Report Advisory Council

Have presidents and ministers previously taken up international roles?

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement that, from time to time, the president and ministers have taken up key positions in foreign and international organisations, with the advice and support of the Cabinet.

Tony Tan was inducted as a member of the Honorary Senate of the Foundation Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in 2012 during his tenure as President.

The Code of Conduct for Ministers also permits them to take on external appointments in their private capacities, if the Prime Minister considers it to be in the national interest and grants permission.

Currently, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean sits on the Total Energies’ International Advisory Committee and donates the honorarium he receives from TotalEnergies to charity, stated PMO.

Similarly, former Senior Minister Tharman already held these international roles before being sworn in as Singapore's ninth President in September.

While the Cabinet agreed it was in the national interest for Tharman to continue holding these appointments as President, they were advised by the attorney-general that this arrangement was not ideal, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shared in Parliament on Nov. 22.

Accepted in private capacity because of national interest

The Gazette stated that the Cabinet recommended that it is in the national interest for Tharman to take on these four posts in a private capacity, which he accepted.

The concerns were that the four international organisations mentioned want their distinguished appointees to contribute independently to achieve the aims of the respective bodies, even while holding on to their official status.

Wong said in Parliament on Nov. 22 that if the President were to serve in these international bodies purely in his official capacity, then he would be limited to representing the official Singapore position in everything he says.

Thus, the Cabinet concluded that it would benefit Singapore for the president to contribute to his international appointments in an independent and private capacity, Wong added.

As such, provisions in the amendment bill will put in place a proper framework under which current and future appointments are governed, Wong said.

The considerations include:

• The framework will only apply to appointments in international organisations.
• In the domestic context, the current position will continue to apply, and the President will not have an independent role outside of the specific discretionary powers conferred on him by the Constitution.
• Any international appointments must be justified by the national interest and be supported by the Cabinet.
• And if need be, the Cabinet must be able to intervene to advise the President on how he acts in these appointments.
• Thirdly, the President should have a say in deciding whether to take on such appointments, and any appointment must be on the public record in the interest of transparency and accountability.

According to the Government Gazette, Tharman 's term as G30 Board Chairman will end on Dec. 31, 2027, his WEF appointment will end on Aug. 23, 2025, his GCEW co-chairmanship will end on June 30, 2025, and his United Nations Human Development Report Advisory Council co-chairman position will expire on June 30, 2024.

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Top image via Singapore Tourism Board and Tharman/IG.