PUBLISHED ONJanuary 16, 2026 12:45 AMBYSean LerPrime Minister Lawrence Wong was sworn in on Thursday (Jan 14) by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam as a member of the President Council for Minority Rights (PCMR).
According to the President's Office, the role of the council is to examine all legislation to ensure that they are not disadvantageous to any racial or religious community. It also considers matters affecting any racial or religious community referred by Parliament or the Government.
Finally, the council also advises the President on nominations to the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony, Malay Community Committee and the Indian and other minorities communities committee.
Former Singapore prime ministers had been appointed as permanent members of the council, which is currently chaired by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon.
Some of the permanent members are: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam, former foreign minister S Dhanabalan and former Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi.
Writing in a Facebook post on Thursday, PM Wong acknowledged the important work of the PCMR.
"Through its work, the Council [PCMR] helps to uphold racial and religious harmony, which must always remain a cornerstone of our society," PM Wong wrote.
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