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Our Legal System
Singapore is a republic with a parliamentary system of Government based on the Westminster Model.
The roots of Singapore’s legal system can be traced back to the English legal system and it has evolved over the years. Our sources of law are derived from our Constitution, legislation, subsidiary legislation (e.g. Rules and Regulations etc) and judge-made law.
- The Constitution is the supreme law of the land and lays down the basic framework for the three organs of state, namely, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
- The Executive includes the Elected President, the Cabinet and the Attorney-General. The President is elected by the people and is empowered to veto government budgets and appointments to public office. The Cabinet comprises the Prime Minister and Ministers appointed from among the Members of Parliament and is responsible for the general direction and control of the Government and is accountable to Parliament. The Attorney-General is the principal legal advisor to the government and has the power and discretion to prosecute offenders.
- The Legislature comprises the President and Parliament and is the legislative authority responsible for enacting legislation. Parliament is made up of elected, non-constituency and nominated Members of Parliament. The President’s assent is required for all bills passed by Parliament and he may in his discretion withhold assent to certain bills.
- The Judiciary consists of the Supreme Court and the State Courts and the head of the Judiciary is the Chief Justice. Judicial power in Singapore is vested in the Supreme Court and in such subordinate courts as may be provided for by any written law for the time being in force.
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Last updated on 21 Jun 2018
Established in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, the Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office.
Read the Cabinet Exit Memos here.
The tradition of the Cabinet dates back to the beginnings of the Presidency itself. Established in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, the Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office.
The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments — the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General.
In order of succession to the Presidency:
Vice President of the United States
Joseph
R. Biden
Department of State
Secretary John Kerry
state.gov
Department of the Treasury
Secretary Jack Lew
treasury.gov
Department of Defense
Secretary Ashton Carter
defense.gov
Department of Justice
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch
usdoj.gov
Department of the Interior
Secretary Sally Jewell
doi.gov
Department of Agriculture
Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack
usda.gov
Department of Commerce
Secretary Penny Pritzker
commerce.gov
Department of Labor
Secretary Thomas E. Perez
dol.gov
Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell
hhs.gov
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary Julián Castro
hud.gov
Department of Transportation
Secretary Anthony Foxx
dot.gov
Department of Energy
Secretary Ernest Moniz
energy.gov
Department of Education
Secretary John King
ed.gov
Department of Veterans Affairs
Secretary Robert McDonald
va.gov
Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Jeh Johnson
dhs.gov
The following positions have the status of Cabinet-rank:
White House Chief of Staff
Denis McDonough
Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator Gina McCarthy
epa.gov
Office of Management & Budget
Director Shaun L.S. Donovan
whitehouse.gov/omb
United States Trade
Representative
Ambassador Michael Froman
ustr.gov
United States Mission to the United Nations
Ambassador Samantha Power
usun.state.gov