On Sunday, August 9, 2026, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and former chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA), Eddie Teo, were conferred Singapore’s highest civilian honour, the Order of Temasek (With Distinction), also known as Darjah Utama Temasek.

The honour, established in 1962, is awarded by the president on the advice of the prime minister. Menon and Teo led the list of 7,491 recipients recognized this year, which included 6,624 civilian recipients and 867 military personnel.

Chief Justice Menon’s legal career began after he was called to the Singapore Bar. He practiced as an advocate before serving as a Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court from 2006 to 2007. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2008, became Singapore’s sixth Attorney-General in 2010, and was appointed the fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on November 6, 2012. He is set to retire on February 26, 2027, after more than 14 years of service. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong praised him, saying, “Chief Justice Menon has served Singapore with distinction over the past 14 years.” Menon also embraced a therapeutic justice approach, transforming how family and youth cases are heard and resolved.

Eddie Teo served in the Singapore Public Service for 35 years before retiring in 2005.

Additionally, Mr. Cheng, who served on the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) Board for over nine years, including as chairman since 2018, was also recognized.

Sources

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