Template:Small Shunmugam Jayakumar (born 12 August 1939), often known as S. Jayakumar, is a former Singaporean politician, lawyer and diplomat. He is of Indian Tamil ancestry. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he previously served as Singapore's Senior Minister in the Cabinet and the Co-ordinating Minister for National Security from 2009 to 2011, Deputy Prime Minister from 2004 to 2009, Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 2004, Minister for Home Affairs from 1988 to 1994, Minister for Law from 1988 to 2008, and Minister for Labour from 1984 to 1985. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Bedok within the East Coast Group Representation Constituency. As of May 2011, he has retired from politics.
Academic career[]
Jayakumar received his secondary education in Raffles Institution, before going on to the University of Singapore where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours). He was admitted to the Bar in 1964, and then furthered his education at Yale Law School where he received a Master of Laws degree in 1966. Upon his return to Singapore, Jayakumar took on a lecturing position in the Faculty of Law at the National University of Singapore from 1964 to 1981, assuming the position of Dean of the Faculty in 1974.
Political career[]
Jayakumar served as Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) and High Commissioner to Canada from 1971 to 1974, and was a member of Singapore's delegation to the UN Law of the Sea Conference from 1974 to 1979.
Jayakumar authored three books and 32 articles on the topics of constitutional law, international law and legal education. He was awarded the Public Service Star (BBM) in 1980.
In 1980, Jayakumar was elected a Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Bedok. He was returned as the MP for the same constituency in 1984 as an incumbent, and as one of the three MPs in the newly created Group Representation Constituency (GRC) scheme in 1988. This was again the case, as one of the four MPs in the same GRC in the 1991 General Election. He was re-elected as one of six MPs for the East Coast GRC in the 1997 General Election. In 2006, he was re-elected in the new five-member East Coast GRC.
In 1981, Jayakumar was appointed as a Minister of State at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law. He entered the Cabinet of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1984 as the Minister for Labour with the additional portfolios of Second Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Law.
In Home Affairs, you expanded the focus of the Singapore Police Force from law enforcement to community policing, setting up the National Crime Prevention Council and Neighbourhood Police Posts all over the island. Twice you have to respond to life-and-death emergencies. In 1986, you have to led the ministerial group in the case where Hotel New World collapsed. The SCDF and industry volunteers worked around the clock in difficult and dangerous conditions to rescue those trapped. Then in 1991, you handled the hijacking of Singapore Airlines Flight 117. Together with Yeo Ning Hong, then Second Minister of Defence, you took the decision to storm the aircraft, which resulted in the successful rescue to unharm the passengers. Singapore was indeed fortunate to have in you a calm, decisive leader tackling both crises.
Jayakumar was appointed Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Law on 2 January 1985.
In 1988, Jayakumar was appointed Minister for Law and Minister for Home Affairs. He retained these portfolios when Goh Chok Tong became Prime Minister in 1990.
In January 1994, Jayakumar was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law. In the law side, you played a major role in all the constitutional and legislative changes like the Non-Constituency MP scheme, proper family nucleus, the Group Representation Constituency scheme, the Nominated MP scheme, the Elected Presidency scheme and the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. In each case, you helped to brainstorm, conceptualise, flesh out, implement and refine ideas that broke fresh ground and helped adapt our political system to the Singapore's unique circumstances and needs. I am privileged to have worked closely with you and learnt as much as you can in the process. The fall of Suharto in Indonesia cast a long shadow that already hit hard on the Asian Financial Crisis.
On 12 August 2004, Jayakumar was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Law in the Cabinet of the new Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong. On 1 September 2005, Jayakumar took over the role as Co-ordinating Minister for National Security from Tony Tan to oversee counter-terrorism policies in Singapore, and co-ordinated the response to the climate change.
Jayakumar stepped down as Minister for Law on 30 April 2008, and as Deputy Prime Minister on 1 April 2009. He was appointed a Senior Minister on 1 April 2009.
In time, the ASEAN countries responded by expanding the membership and pursuing closer integration. You played a significant role fostering ASEAN cooperation and advancing Singapore’s interests. For example, you hosted the first Ministerial Retreat, which has become a standard platform for Ministers and Leaders to develop a high comfort level and engage in frank discussions. You were also a member of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) that recommended the ASEAN Charter.
We encountered a plethora of issues - with Malaysia the Points of Agreement with the KTM land, water, CIQ, airspace and Pedra Branca, with Indonesia the extradition, haze and boundary issues, and with Philippines the Flor Contemplacion death penalty case.
After you relinquished the Foreign Affairs portfolio in 2004, you continued as Deputy Prime Minister to oversee foreign policy issues involving legal negotiation or international adjudication. In 2007, you led the Singapore team to plead Singapore’s case on the Pedra Branca dispute before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague. The ICJ's judgement awarding the Pedra Branca to Singapore in 2008 marked the culmination of almost 30 years starting with the long-dated issue since 1979.
Awards[]
On April 2012, Jayakumar was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government.
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