In a first, President appoints 4 full-time aides-de-camp

SINGAPORE – For the first time, the President’s Office has appointed four full-time aides-de-camp (ADCs), instead of three or fewer in previous years.

This comes as the workload of full-time ADCs and honorary ADCs “is expected to continue to be heavy for the year ahead”, the Istana told The Straits Times ahead of the ADCs’ appointment ceremony and appreciation dinner held at the Istana on May 27.

The number of events that the ADC Corps is expected to support also remains fluid, the Istana added.

The Istana was responding to ST’s queries on whether an increase in tempo is expected, given that 2024 marked the first time in 20 years that Singapore has experienced a change in leadership at the head of government level. 

ADCs, picked from among the best officers in the uniformed services, are responsible for the coordination, planning, implementation and follow-up of the President’s events, both locally and overseas. 

They also ensure that both local and internationally accepted protocol practices are observed at all times, including attending to the needs of guests, such as foreign heads of state, during their official visits.

They are supported by honorary ADCs, who are officers who would keep their primary role in their uniformed services but serve on top of these roles to support the President at events and functions.

For the 2024/2025 work year, the number of honorary ADCs assigned remains unchanged, however, at 103. Of that number, 16 are new to the role, while the rest have been reappointed.

Speaking at the appreciation dinner on May 27, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said it is the people within the Istana, namely the ADCs, who make the historical events held at the stately building memorable. 

“Often working behind the scenes with precision, our ADCs’ efforts are critical, even if they may not always be noticed,” Mr Tharman added.

He noted that one of the four full-time ADCs – Major Fung Ka Kin, 34, who was most recently the commander of Paya Lebar Fire Station – is the first Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer to be assigned the role.

Prior to Major Fung, the appointments – made after several rounds of selection, culminating in an interview with the President’s Office – had gone to officers with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) or Singapore Police Force (SPF).

The current head of the Ceremonial and Protocol Section of the President’s Office is Military Expert 6 Ho Yong Cheh. The full-time ADC most recently led the team that organised the swearing-in of Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15.

Major Fung, who officially assumed the ADC role on May 2, told ST he brings his ability to respond to situations quickly. He is used to making such snap decisions in his seven years of service at SCDF, where he had to regularly attend to front-line emergencies, including situations that are often dynamic.

Among 2024’s new honorary ADC appointees is Military Expert 4 Fadilah Jubir, 33, who used to work as an operating theatre and emergency staff nurse at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. 

The senior military medical expert at the SAF, who traded her hospital scrubs for a military uniform just four years ago, said she already felt strongly about serving the nation in both healthcare and defence when she was a healthcare worker. 

That is why she had been volunteering with the SAF Volunteer Corps since its first intake in 2015, which coincided with the time she started working as a nurse after graduating from the National University of Singapore.

Pointing out that tasks are already lining up for her, she said her first assignment would be to march alongside and accompany the guest of honour at 2024’s SAF Day Parade.

Asked what training ADCs get, the Istana said they undergo several days of training to understand the President’s constitutional powers and roles, ADC history and responsibilities, and official and ceremonial protocols. 

ADCs are also educated in VIP management, airport operations, officiating of uniformed ceremonies, history and details of Istana grounds, social etiquette and personal grooming, the Istana said.

Full-time ADCs undergo additional weeks of on-the-job internship for further assessment of job fit and suitability, the Istana said.

Tips for incoming aides

Among the 15 outgoing honorary ADCs recognised on May 27 for their contributions was Assistant Commissioner of Police Ang Eng Seng, who now commands the SPF Woodlands Division. 

At 27, Mr Ang was a full-time ADC to the late former president S R Nathan. Mr Ang retires with 16 years of experience as an ADC, having continued his service as an honorary ADC for more than a decade after his full-time appointment.

In his speech, Mr Tharman said Mr Ang had contributed significantly to the corps, including leading the organisation of the National Awards Investiture in 2009 when it was held at the NUS University Cultural Centre for the first time.

Speaking to ST, Mr Ang described being detail-oriented, attentive and confident as the hallmarks of a good ADC. 

“One of the key traits that an ADC needs to possess is, really, the power of observation. The President is not going to tell you, ‘I don’t like this. I don’t want that.’ You’ve got to observe it,” the 44-year-old said.

For instance, in signalling the end of dinner, the President could fold his napkin and put it on the table. An attentive ADC will take that as a cue to inform the master of ceremonies to make an announcement.

Full-time ADCs, in particular, would be called upon to go on recce trips ahead of state visits where they would decide which hotel can host the President, and work with foreign counterparts to decide on the President’s itinerary, he said.

On such trips, even the representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be looking to the ADC for answers on the President’s preferences and needs, so gaining confidence is key, he said.

Mr Ang could still remember how nerve-racking it was when he organised his first trip for Mr Nathan as his ADC, which was to Vietnam.

“When I joined, I was only the age of his grandchildren... It took me time to build rapport (with him) and have the confidence of the President,” he said.

“You have to decide there and then if the President would do this, if the President would stay here, and so on. Those were very challenging, but you have to quickly learn on your feet, understand what needs to be done, and know who to call for help,” Mr Ang added.

“Of course, you cannot call the President and say, ‘Do you want to do this or not?’,” he quipped. 

“You need to understand enough, because when you come back, the President will be asking you for the details, and you’re expected to have the answers.”

One of Mr Ang’s final assignments as an honorary ADC was to be the aide-in-attendance for Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the

swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

More than 50 ADCs were activated for the ceremony, which proceeded “like clockwork”, he said.

The ceremony turned out to be extra memorable for Mr Ang as he mistakenly addressed SM Lee as Prime Minister when sending him off after the event.

Mr Ang had kept a mental note to change his address after the ceremony. Still, he saluted SM Lee and said: “Good night, PM.”