Chapter 2 — The Executive
Executive authority of Singapore
23. —(1) The executive authority of Singapore shall be vested in the President and exercisable subject to the provisions of this Constitution by him or by the Cabinet or any Minister authorised by the Cabinet.
(2) The Legislature may by law confer executive functions on other persons.
Cabinet
24. —(1) There shall be in and for Singapore a Cabinet which shall consist of the Prime Minister and such other Ministers as may be appointed in accordance with Article 25.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Cabinet shall have the general direction and control of the Government and shall be collectively responsible to Parliament.
Appointment of Prime Minister and Ministers
25. —(1) The President shall appoint as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament, and shall, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, appoint other Ministers from among the Members of Parliament:
Provided that, if an appointment is made while Parliament is dissolved, a person who was a Member of the last Parliament may be appointed but shall not continue to hold office after the first sitting of the next Parliament unless he is a Member thereof.
(2) Appointments under this Article shall be made by the President by instrument under the public seal.
Tenure of office of Prime Minister and Ministers
26. —(1) The President shall, by writing under the public seal, declare the office of Prime Minister vacant —
(a) if the Prime Minister resigns his office by writing under his hand addressed to the President; or
(b) if the President, acting in his discretion, is satisfied that the Prime Minister has ceased to command the confidence of a majority of the Members of Parliament:
Provided that, before declaring the office of Prime Minister vacant under this paragraph, the President shall inform the Prime Minister that he is satisfied as aforesaid, and, if the Prime Minister so requests, the President may dissolve Parliament instead of making such a declaration.
(2) A Minister, other than the Prime Minister, shall vacate his office —
(a) if his appointment to that office is revoked by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, by instrument under the public seal; or
(b) if he resigns his office by writing under his hand addressed to the President.
(3) A person who has vacated his office as Minister may, if qualified, be again appointed as Minister from time to time.
(4)
(a) Whenever the Prime Minister is ill or absent from Singapore or has been granted leave of absence from his duties under Article 32, the functions conferred on him by this Constitution shall be exercisable by any other Minister authorised by the President, by instrument under the public seal, in that behalf.
(b) The President may, by instrument under the public seal, revoke any authority given under this clause.
(c) The powers conferred upon the President by this clause shall be exercised by him acting in his discretion, if in his opinion it is impracticable to obtain the advice of the Prime Minister owing to the Prime Minister"s illness or absence, and in any other case shall be exercised by the President in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.
Oath
27. The Prime Minister and every other Minister shall, before entering on the duties of his office, take and subscribe before the President the Oath of Allegiance and the appropriate Oath for the due execution of his office in the forms set out in the First Schedule.
Summoning of and presiding in Cabinet
28. —(1) The Cabinet shall not be summoned except by the authority of the Prime Minister.
(2) The Prime Minister shall, so far as is practicable, attend and preside at meetings of the Cabinet and, in his absence, such other Minister shall preside as the Prime Minister shall appoint.
Validity of proceedings in Cabinet
29. Any proceedings in the Cabinet shall be valid notwithstanding that some person who was not entitled to do so sat or voted therein or otherwise took part in the proceedings.
Assignment of responsibility to Ministers
30. —(1) The Prime Minister may, by directions in writing —
(a) charge any Minister with responsibility for any department or subject; and
(b) revoke or vary any directions given under this clause.
(2) The Prime Minister may retain in his charge any department or subject.
Parliamentary Secretaries
31. —(1) The President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may by instrument under the public seal, appoint Parliamentary Secretaries from among the Members of Parliament to assist Ministers in the discharge of their duties and functions:
Provided that, if an appointment is made while Parliament is dissolved, a person who was a Member of the last Parliament may be appointed a Parliamentary Secretary but shall not continue to hold office after the first sitting of the next Parliament unless he is a Member thereof.
(2) Article 26 (2) and (3) and Article 27 shall apply to Parliamentary Secretaries as they apply to Ministers.
Leave of absence for Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries
32. The President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may grant leave of absence from his duties to the Prime Minister, to any other Minister and to any Parliamentary Secretary.
Disabilities of Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries
33. A member of the Cabinet or Parliamentary Secretary shall not hold any office of profit and shall not actively engage in any commercial enterprise.
Permanent Secretaries
34. —(1) There shall be for each Ministry one or more Permanent Secretaries who shall be persons who are public officers.
(2)
(a) Appointments to the office of Permanent Secretary shall be made by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, from a list of names submitted by the Public Service Commission.
(b) The responsibility for the allocation of each Permanent Secretary to a Ministry shall be vested in the Prime Minister.
(3) Every Permanent Secretary shall, subject to the general direction and control of the Minister, exercise supervision over the department or departments to which he is allocated.
Executive authority of Singapore
23. —(1) The executive authority of Singapore shall be vested in the President and exercisable subject to the provisions of this Constitution by him or by the Cabinet or any Minister authorised by the Cabinet.
(2) The Legislature may by law confer executive functions on other persons.
Cabinet
24. —(1) There shall be in and for Singapore a Cabinet which shall consist of the Prime Minister and such other Ministers as may be appointed in accordance with Article 25.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Cabinet shall have the general direction and control of the Government and shall be collectively responsible to Parliament.
Appointment of Prime Minister and Ministers
25. —(1) The President shall appoint as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament, and shall, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, appoint other Ministers from among the Members of Parliament:
Provided that, if an appointment is made while Parliament is dissolved, a person who was a Member of the last Parliament may be appointed but shall not continue to hold office after the first sitting of the next Parliament unless he is a Member thereof.
(2) Appointments under this Article shall be made by the President by instrument under the public seal.
Tenure of office of Prime Minister and Ministers
26. —(1) The President shall, by writing under the public seal, declare the office of Prime Minister vacant —
(a) if the Prime Minister resigns his office by writing under his hand addressed to the President; or
(b) if the President, acting in his discretion, is satisfied that the Prime Minister has ceased to command the confidence of a majority of the Members of Parliament:
Provided that, before declaring the office of Prime Minister vacant under this paragraph, the President shall inform the Prime Minister that he is satisfied as aforesaid, and, if the Prime Minister so requests, the President may dissolve Parliament instead of making such a declaration.
(2) A Minister, other than the Prime Minister, shall vacate his office —
(a) if his appointment to that office is revoked by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, by instrument under the public seal; or
(b) if he resigns his office by writing under his hand addressed to the President.
(3) A person who has vacated his office as Minister may, if qualified, be again appointed as Minister from time to time.
(4)
(a) Whenever the Prime Minister is ill or absent from Singapore or has been granted leave of absence from his duties under Article 32, the functions conferred on him by this Constitution shall be exercisable by any other Minister authorised by the President, by instrument under the public seal, in that behalf.
(b) The President may, by instrument under the public seal, revoke any authority given under this clause.
(c) The powers conferred upon the President by this clause shall be exercised by him acting in his discretion, if in his opinion it is impracticable to obtain the advice of the Prime Minister owing to the Prime Minister"s illness or absence, and in any other case shall be exercised by the President in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.
Oath
27. The Prime Minister and every other Minister shall, before entering on the duties of his office, take and subscribe before the President the Oath of Allegiance and the appropriate Oath for the due execution of his office in the forms set out in the First Schedule.
Summoning of and presiding in Cabinet
28. —(1) The Cabinet shall not be summoned except by the authority of the Prime Minister.
(2) The Prime Minister shall, so far as is practicable, attend and preside at meetings of the Cabinet and, in his absence, such other Minister shall preside as the Prime Minister shall appoint.
Validity of proceedings in Cabinet
29. Any proceedings in the Cabinet shall be valid notwithstanding that some person who was not entitled to do so sat or voted therein or otherwise took part in the proceedings.
Assignment of responsibility to Ministers
30. —(1) The Prime Minister may, by directions in writing —
(a) charge any Minister with responsibility for any department or subject; and
(b) revoke or vary any directions given under this clause.
(2) The Prime Minister may retain in his charge any department or subject.
Parliamentary Secretaries
31. —(1) The President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may by instrument under the public seal, appoint Parliamentary Secretaries from among the Members of Parliament to assist Ministers in the discharge of their duties and functions:
Provided that, if an appointment is made while Parliament is dissolved, a person who was a Member of the last Parliament may be appointed a Parliamentary Secretary but shall not continue to hold office after the first sitting of the next Parliament unless he is a Member thereof.
(2) Article 26 (2) and (3) and Article 27 shall apply to Parliamentary Secretaries as they apply to Ministers.
Leave of absence for Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries
32. The President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may grant leave of absence from his duties to the Prime Minister, to any other Minister and to any Parliamentary Secretary.
Disabilities of Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries
33. A member of the Cabinet or Parliamentary Secretary shall not hold any office of profit and shall not actively engage in any commercial enterprise.
Permanent Secretaries
34. —(1) There shall be for each Ministry one or more Permanent Secretaries who shall be persons who are public officers.
(2)
(a) Appointments to the office of Permanent Secretary shall be made by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, from a list of names submitted by the Public Service Commission.
(b) The responsibility for the allocation of each Permanent Secretary to a Ministry shall be vested in the Prime Minister.
(3) Every Permanent Secretary shall, subject to the general direction and control of the Minister, exercise supervision over the department or departments to which he is allocated.
