Judge V K Rajah to take over as Attorney-General

SINGAPORE - Attorney-General Steven Chong Horng Siong will be returning to the Bench in June as a judge of the High Court.

The Prime Minster's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Monday that Judge of Appeal V K Rajah will take over as the Attorney-General from Mr Chong.

Mr Chong, 56, was appointed the Attorney-General on Jun 25, 2012, for a period of two years.

The PMO said that Mr Chong was instrumental in making a number of changes to the criminal justice system in the last two years. He also worked to engage the public and explain the work and significant decisions of the public prosecutor.

The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) "played an instrumental role in the successful conclusion of key international treaties" under Mr Chong's leadership, it said.

In a statement from the AGC, Mr Chong said: "I count my time as the Attorney-General as some of the most challenging but rewarding years of my career in the law. It afforded me the unique opportunity to work with an entire community of dedicated public officers and to make a difference to the Legal Service and to the criminal justice system."

Judge Rajah, 57, who takes over as Attorney-General on June 25, was a Supreme Court judge from 2004 to 2007 before becoming a judge of Appeal.

sinsh@sph.com.sg