non elected government body singapore established main function bills passed parliament ensure racial religious community council feels provision bill amounts measure report findings parliament refer bill parliament council examines subsidiary legislation statutes force january member nominated chairman empowered ensure candidates office president qualifications required constitution president dismisses chairman members established cap advice responsible determining members representatives major religions singapore distinguished public service community relations singapore council chairman november chief justice singapore permanent members appointed life ordinary members appointed period years appointed appointments president advice cabinet president cabinet advice veto appointments required consult view parliament decision resolution passed thirds majority vote president power remove current members constitution requires members council singapore citizens residing singapore years old restriction cabinet ministers members political parties prime minister authorize minister minister state parliamentary secretary attend council meetings noted chilling effect council guest author vocal proponent legislation scrutiny hand suggested members political biggest contribution council discussions criticism composition having judges council lead conflict interest exercise judicial review acts parliament endorsed rejected previously proceedings council conducted private council prohibited hearing examining witnesses bill law consideration establishment found legislation contain measures role non elected body established vii constitution republic singapore roles minority rights advising government general function articulated constitution consider report matters affecting persons racial religious community singapore referred council parliament government role safeguard parliamentary executive politics government freedom racial religious communities passage new laws regulations contain measures legislative review mechanism plays limited quasi second chamber role called closest body singapore years council criticized lacking teeth act real check potential legislative abuses issued adverse report piece legislation referred forms statutory framework government internationally lauded efforts managing minority issues singapore deputy prime minister member council noted symbol paramount importance placed racial harmony world racial communal conflict origin january shortly singapore independence president singapore appointed helmed chief justice consider rights racial linguistic religious minorities nascent nation protected singapore ejected malaysia experienced extended period racial religious tension resulting riots experience reinforced need society based equality races commission report august found equality best protected giving minority rights equal fundamental liberties constitution addition recommended advisory body inform government effects laws minorities concept based established phase transition african majority rule idea advisory body significantly legislative agenda viewed promising innovation addition creation advisory council ensuring equal treatment legislation line idea citizens increasingly aware racial religious issues national growth depend approach problems religious racial tensions recommendations new included following members council appointed consultation prime minister president discretion member belong political party membership assigned renewed specified period years proceedings held public parliamentary debate constitution amendment bill constitution amendment act passed december create based heavily proposed amendment took effect january council subsequently renamed proposal commission accepted parliament nonetheless changes led substantial differences original proposal including following appointments council president advice cabinet categories members permanent non permanent members permanent members holding life tenure members parliament mps including ministers sitting council serving terms parliament simultaneously affiliation political party bar council membership supporters new body heralded step forward enhancing country democratic spirit establishment seen putting limit possible measures legislation especially important party dominated parliament like singapore new council powers strictly limited giving advice justified basis serve alert public government proceed enact act class minorities intended fix attention public matter originating parliament adversely affect interests minority group composition appointment term office members composition consist persons time council chairman permanent members appointed life ordinary members appointed period years appointed distinction permanent non permanent members recommendations government adopt commission proposal members belong political party suggested causes composition somewhat weighted favour government extent concept council elders sits rights individuals chairman responsible presiding meetings council office chairman vacant council elect member act chairman chairman original vote casting vote fewer members including chairman member appointed place order council business motion council fails event tie appointment term office members elected appointed president advice cabinet public nomination process vote stipulated constitution president cabinet veto appointment required consult constitutional body advises president appointments key public officials matters relating singapore financial reserves exercises veto parliament decision resolution passed thirds majority vote president power remove current members members council singapore citizens years age residing singapore apart qualifications stated constitution indication parliamentary debates leading introduction permanent members likely drawn men distinction hold held high public appointments prime ministers chief justice chief justices judges speaker chairman attorney general permanent non permanent members probably mature citizens rendered distinguished public service prominent members member disqualified found mind bankrupt convicted sentenced imprisonment year fine lost citizenship declared allied foreign country questions membership disqualification determined tribunal convened secret consists supreme_court judge appointed chief justice members appointed council constitution procedure removal member disqualification member resignation current membership april members permanent members chairman chief justice took chief justice retired november prominent members include prime minister attorney general singapore prime minister permanent member council death march issues existence permanent members appointment inclusion members government political parties allies mean tool government day remain power despite popularity future president block certain appointments council remove permanent member seat fact appear person power door open potential abuse appointments based political agenda merit precisely power best placed bills illegitimate measures political biggest contribution discussion error past ways presence judicial members council pose additional problems possibility conflict interest judges sit members council find having review acts parliament endorsed rejected previously exacerbated fact council examining legitimacy bills plays quasi judicial role confusion regards legality piece legislation example initially condemned council enacted government later endorsed courts judicial review potential conflict chief justice role head judiciary chairman council raised informed chief justice matter conflict arose hand suggested enactment statute parliament face adverse report taken mere disagreement interpretation constitution judicial review depends statute question constitutional amendment ordinary act parliament acts parliament disputed court lack compliance constitution constitutional amendments legislation determine fundamental liberties traditionally function judiciary potentially prevent unconstitutional piece legislation coming force doubt council members sufficient legal training undertake task powers functions examine bills subsidiary legislation written laws force january measure defined measure likely practical application persons racial religious community equally persons communities directly persons community indirectly giving advantage persons community proceedings conducted private council prohibited hearing examining witnesses bill law consideration privacy means council denied modest publicity original proposal meant hold meetings publicly parliament publish reports proceedings proposals rejected ground publicity adverse consequence giving members public forum minister law national development commented parliament having discussions private helps ensure conducted frankly held eye press view scoring political points validity measures promote free discussion article constitution provides minister minister state parliamentary secretary specially authorized prime minister attend private meetings real chilling effect guest author vocal proponent legislation council secrecy criticized contrary status symbol racial harmony singapore discharge role requires projects image effectiveness current requirement secrecy arguably secret discussions prevent public informed controversial issues arisen course implementing new laws especially affect rights minorities bills speaker parliament required refer bills exceptions consideration immediately reading bill parliament obtain council report bill sent president council report parliament days passage bill referred judging provisions bill inconsistent fundamental liberties bill particularly complex great length speaker discretion extend deadline application chairman council fails report given presumed council satisfied bill free measures bill reading means parliament opportunity considering council views bill prior debate advocated council consider bill introduced second reading council express views benefit debate bill additionally parliament passed bill parliament consider point honour maintain original view merits council objections debated bill decide stick original guns council adverse report parliament amend bill rid measures sending council inspection having charge bill clear days notice amendments proposes parliament provisions bill adversely reported council bill stands committee parliament provisions proposed amendments considered parliament resumes having charge bill reports amendments agreed committee moves amended bill council uncertainty council report time limit bill directly presented president alternatively parliament effectively ignore council adverse report motion passed vote thirds members charge bill clear days notice intention bill presented president despite adverse report following debate mps vote motion taking division parliament rejects adverse report way parliament send bill notwithstanding measures president mechanisms adverse reports present difficulties seen light article constitution meant guarantee equal protection law minorities discrimination bills containing measures presented president seen inconsistent fundamental liberties subject excluded types bills types bills excluded scrutiny money bills bills contains provisions dealing public money taxation payments debts charges public funds grants money government raising loans matters relating matters bills prime minister affecting defence security singapore relate public safety peace good order singapore bills prime minister urgent delay enactment detrimental public welfare argued wide open abuse instance speaker determine bill falls definition money bill certified opinion matter writing conclusive purposes shall open question court grounds bills excluded public safety peace described potentially wide definitions open abuse government power regards bill enacted certificate urgency president speaker required send act parliament council soon possible report presented parliament constitution contains provisions steps parliament required act adverse report subsidiary legislation certain written laws new subsidiary legislation sent council scrutiny days publication government gazette council required report speaker appropriate minister days unlike bills provision extend original deadline bills sending adverse report results conclusive council finds measures subsidiary legislation council issues adverse report minister amend provision months report parliament passes resolution confirming provision council report written law force january constitutional provision requires parliament relevant minister act functions council members members body empowered ensure candidates office president qualifications required constitution member appointed post chairman council council effectively decides composition established president chairman members advice council council responsible determining members representatives major religions singapore distinguished public service community relations singapore president required consult council membership member president discretion veto appointment agree upper chamber nature consisting single legislative body tasked making laws notion second legislative chamber considered separate occasions constitutional commission headed sir rejected proposal second chamber composed solely minority representatives citing tiny state like singapore arguing end bureaucratic asserted upper house potentially detrimental social issue considered rejected similar grounds power review block passage bills regarded indication potential second chamber council functional design makes weak legislative review mechanism council power investigate alleged minority rights general public right making views complaints known chamber addition lack veto power means currently council delay passage bills prompt parliamentary bills question occasions council drawn attention measures proposed bills legislature pre notwithstanding clauses constitution clauses declare laws constitutional provision valid alternative view formal structure council theory capable exercising judicial legislative review functions presence practically single party parliament drastically powers restricting solely advisory capacity case strong opposition exists parliament required thirds voting majority required push legislation endorsement council criticized limited powers concern council responsibilities far taking function existing prospective legislation measures inconsistencies fundamental liberties council functions constitutional interpretation traditionally function courts council additional advantage identifying potentially unconstitutional legislation early stage preventing unnecessary litigation future doubt ability council task given constitutional interpretation traditionally function lawyers courts task best carried legally trained members legislation constitution republic singapore reprint maintenance religious cap standing orders archived original october works need second chamber singapore marshall neo protection minorities constitution balance tan evolution revolution years singapore constitution singapore isbn report chairman singapore government printer tan legislature constitutional law malaysia singapore 3rd singapore isbn tan constitution assessment singapore recent changes articles websites tan eugene september legislature archived original july retrieved september tan october archived original september retrieved september books singapore encyclopedia singapore editions association isbn archived original report singapore printed acting government printer tan kevin parliament making law singapore tan 2nd singapore isbn
Presidential Council for Minority Rights