Attorney General of Singapore
| Attorney-General of the Republic of Singapore |
|
|---|---|
| Style | The Honourable |
| Appointer |
President of Singapore acting in his discretion and in concurrence with the advice of the Prime Minister |
| Term length | For specific period or otherwise until age of 60 |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Singapore, art 35(1) |
| Inaugural holder | Ahmad Mohamed Ibrahim |
| Formation | 9 Aug 1965 |
| Deputy |
|
| Website | www |
The Attorney-General of the Republic of Singapore (AG) is the legal adviser to the Government of Singapore and the Public Prosecutor (PP). He carries out his functions with the assistance of his deputies, including the Deputy Attorney-General (DAG) and the Solicitor-General (SG), through the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC). The current Attorney-General is Lucien Wong, SC.
The office of attorney-general was born in Singapore in 1867, when the British crown appointed an Attorney-General of the Straits Settlements, based in Singapore, to serve as legal adviser to the new crown colony's government. Today, the President of Singapore appoints the Attorney-General, acting in his discretion and in concurrence with the Prime Minister's advice, under Article 35 of the Constitution of Singapore. Unlike some countries that follow the Westminster parliamentary model, the Attorney-General is not a member of Parliament.
The Attorney-General has two distinct roles, as the Government's legal adviser and as the Public Prosecutor, in which he is assisted by legal officers in the AGC's five divisions.
The Attorney-General's role as the Government's legal adviser is performed by the AGC's Civil Division. His functions include advising ministries and organs of state on legal matters, drafting and vetting contracts and legal documents and representing the Government in international initiatives and litigation matters, among others. He is also the Protector of Charities.
The International Affairs Division advises Government agencies on international-law issues, represents Singapore in bilateral and multilateral negotiations, and negotiates and drafts multilateral and bilateral legal instruments, among other roles.
The Legislation Division comprises four groups. The Law Drafting Group drafts legislation and advises Government agencies on development of legislation. The Legislative Editorial and Revision Group undertakes law revision. The Law Publication Group maintains Singapore Statutes Online, among other duties. The Business Services and Governance Group provides administrative support to the other groups.
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