SINGAPORE – Former Supreme Court senior judge Chao Hick Tin has been appointed chairman of the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony.
The President’s Office on Friday announced the appointment of Mr Chao, alongside nine others, to the council for a three-year term with effect from Sept 15.
Mr Chao was chairman of the council from 2019 to 2023, taking over from former Public Service Commission chairman Eddie Teo.
The Presidential Council for Religious Harmony was set up in August 1992 under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. Its chairperson and members are appointed by the President.
The council advises the Minister for Home Affairs on related matters referred to it by the minister or by Parliament.
It also considers and makes recommendations to the President on Restraining Orders issued under the Act.
The other members are:
Get a round-up of the top stories to start your day
Thank you!
Sign up
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and T&Cs.
Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, Mufti of Singapore Cardinal William Goh, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Singapore Venerable Kwang Phing, president of the Singapore Buddhist Federation Bishop Emeritus Wee Boon Hup, past president of the National Council of Churches of Singapore Mr Surjit Singh, past chairman of the Sikh Advisory Board Mr M. Rajaram, past president of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and term trustee of the Singapore Indian Development Association Associate Professor Lee Cheuk Yin, academic adviser to the Taoist Federation and Taoist Mission Ms Juthika Ramanathan, chief executive of the Office of the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court Professor Lily Kong, president and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Social Sciences at Singapore Management University
Several members had served in the council previously under former presidents Halimah Yacob and Tony Tan, including Cardinal Goh, Ven Kwang, Bishop Emeritus Wee, Ms Ramanathan, Mr Singh, Prof Kong and Prof Lee.
Correction note: This article has been edited for accuracy.
Why religion remains a force for good, not source of division, in Singapore
Singapore stands out in survey linking national identity to ethnicity and religion
Read the full story for $0.99/month Save more than 90% on your subscription and get over 500 subscriber-only articles every month.
ST All-Digital Package - Monthly $29.90 $0.99/month No contract
$0.99/month for the first 3 months, $29.90/month thereafter. T&Cs apply.
Subscribe now
Unlock these benefits Get subscriber-only articles on ST Web and app
Easy access on up to 4 devices
2-week e-paper archive to ensure you never miss out on news that matters to you
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Religion Singapore religion Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Facebook WhatsApp Twitter More Whatsapp Linkedin FB Messenger Telegram Reddit WeChat Pinterest Print Purchase Article Copy permalink https://str.sg/iq8u
Read this subscriber-only article for free!
Just sign up for a free account and log in to continue reading.
Members of Presidential Council for Religious Harmony appointed for 3-year term
Sign up
Already have an account? Log in.
All done! This article is now fully available for you
Members of Presidential Council for Religious Harmony appointed for 3-year term
Read now
Please verify your e-mail to read this subscriber-only article in full
Members of Presidential Council for Religious Harmony appointed for 3-year term
Resend verification e-mail
The gift link for this subscriber-only article has expired.
Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month for the first 3 months.
Subscribe now
You have reached your limit of subscriber-only articles this month.
Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month for the first 3 months.
Subscribe now
Read and win!
Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards
Let's go! Terms & conditions apply
Frequently asked questions
Good job, you've read 3 articles today!
Spin the wheel now
Let's go! Terms & conditions apply
Frequently asked questions