Chan Sek Keong
Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court of Singapore | |
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In office 1 July 1986 – 30 June 1988 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Ipoh, Perak, Federated Malay States | 5 November 1937
Nationality | Singaporean |
Alma mater | National University of Singapore |
Chan Sek Keong | |
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Hanyu Pinyin | Chén Xīqiáng |
Yue: Cantonese | |
Jyutping | Chan1 Sek3 Keung5 |
Southern Min | |
Hokkien POJ | Tân Sek-kiông |
Chan Sek Keong
He was appointed by former President S. R. Nathan, and took office on 11 April 2006. [2] Prior to his appointment as chief justice, he served as the third attorney-general of Singapore between 1992 and 2006.
Early life and education
Chan was born in 1937 in
Along with his elder brother, Chan received his early education in
During his second year of the sixth form course, Chan heard from his English literature teacher, Dr. Alan Etherton, that a law professor from the University of Malaya would be visiting the school to encourage students in the form to take up a new law course offered by the university. Etherton saw Chan's potential for law and urged him to go for it. Chan, unaware about the career prospects that a law degree could offer, heeded Etherton's advice and went for an interview conducted by Professor Lee Sheridan.[3]
Legal education and training
Chan, along with the students, was a member of the inaugural batch of students admitted to the
Career
After being admitted to the bar on 31 January 1962, Chan practised as a lawyer for a number of years first with Bannon & Bailey in Kuala Lumpur and then with Braddell Brothers and Shook Lin & Bok in Singapore before being appointed the first Judicial Commissioner of Singapore on 1 July 1986. Two years later, he became a Judge of the Supreme Court of Singapore.
In 1992, Chan was appointed
Chan relinquished the position of Attorney-General on 11 April 2006 when he was appointed Chief Justice. He retired in 2012, having spent 26 years in legal service. In October 2013, he joined the National University of Singapore's Faculty of Law as its first Distinguished Fellow. The term of appointment is on an honorary basis and will be for an initial period of three years. As a Distinguished Fellow, Chan pursued research and writing projects.[5]
In October 2019, Chan called for a review of the constitutional validity of Section 377A.[6]
Awards and decorations
Chan was conferred the Order of Temasek (Second Class) by the Singapore Government on 9 August 2008 for his outstanding contributions to the team representing Singapore in the Pedra Branca dispute against the Malaysian government before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).[7] In the same month, he became the first Singaporean law graduate to be made an honorary bencher of Lincoln's Inn.[1]
On 21 November 2009, Chan became the first Asian jurist to be given the International Jurists Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the administration of justice which, according to International Council of Jurists president Adish Aggarwala, had "enhanced the dignity of the judiciary in Asian countries".[8]
Chan was conferred the state award, Darjah Dato' Seri Paduka Mahkota Perak (SPMP), which carries the title Dato' Seri, by Azlan Shah, the Sultan of Perak, in 1999.
Notes
- ^ a b "CJ Chan re-appointed", The Straits Times, p. B4, 11 April 2009,
President S R Nathan yesterday re-appointed Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong as head of the judicial system here for a second term. ... CJ Chan will hold the post of Singapore's Chief Justice for about 3½ years, until Nov 5, 2012, his 75th birthday.
- Channel NewsAsia, 31 March 2006, archived from the original on 28 May 2008, retrieved 31 May 2006; Lawyers welcome Chan Sek Keong's appointment as new CJ, Channel NewsAsia, 1 April 2006, archived from the originalon 15 May 2008, retrieved 1 April 2006.
- ^ a b Kwek Mean Luck (3 August 2006), "In Conversation with Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong" (PDF), Inter Se (reproduced on the website of the Legal Service Commission), archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2007, retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ "SW AG's letter 0721". Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
- ^ "Headlines". Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ "Former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong calls for review of Section 377A, says law is outdated". CNA. 16 October 2019.
- ^ "NDP awards", The Straits Times, 8 September 2008.
- ^ "CJ Chan Sek Keong receives top jurist award", The Straits Times, p. B20, 26 November 2009.