Constitution of the Republic of Singapore

Republic of Singapore

Constitution of the Republic of Singapore

Published by Good Press, 2022

goodpress@okpublishing.info

EAN 4064066447366

Table of Contents

PART I: PRELIMINARY

Citation

Interpretation

PART II: THE REPUBLIC AND THE CONSTITUTION

Republic of Singapore

Supremacy of Constitution

Amendment of Constitution

President may withhold assent to certain constitutional amendments

PART III: PROTECTION OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

No surrender of sovereignty or relinquishment of control over the Police Force or the Armed Forces except by referendum

Participation in co-operative international schemes which are beneficial to Singapore

No amendment to this Part except by referendum

PART IV: FUNDAMENTAL LIBERTIES

Liberty of the person

Slavery and forced labour prohibited

Protection against retrospective criminal laws and repeated trials

Equal protection

Prohibition of banishment and freedom of movement

Freedom of speech, assembly and association

Freedom of religion

Rights in respect of education

PART V: THE GOVERNMENT

Chapter 1 — The President

Chapter 2 — The Executive

Chapter 3 — Capacity as regards property, contracts and suits

PART VA: COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTIAL ADVISERS

Interpretation of this Part

Council of Presidential Advisers

Temporary appointments during incapacity of members

Qualifications of members

Disqualifications of members

Termination of membership

Determination of questions as to membership

Oaths of Allegiance and Secrecy

Function of Council

Proceedings of Council

Council to report to Prime Minister and Parliament

Fees

Appointment of staff

PART VI: THE LEGISLATURE

Legislature of Singapore

Parliament

Group representation constituencies

Speaker

Remuneration of Speaker

Deputy Speaker

Performance of functions of Speaker

Qualifications for membership of Parliament

Disqualifications for membership of Parliament

Tenure of office of Members

Provision against double membership

Decision on questions as to disqualification

Filling of vacancies

Penalty for unqualified persons sitting or voting in Parliament

Staff of Parliament

Standing Orders

Use of languages in Parliament

Presiding in Parliament

Validity of proceedings of Parliament

Quorum

Voting

Exercise of legislative power

Introduction of Bills

Words of enactment of laws

Oath of Allegiance

Address by President

Privileges of Parliament

Sessions of Parliament

Prorogation and dissolution of Parliament

General elections

Remuneration of Members

PART VII: THE PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL FOR MINORITY RIGHTS

Interpretation of this Part

Establishment of Presidential Council for Minority Rights

Temporary appointment during incapacity of member

Qualifications of members

Disqualifications of members

Termination of membership

Determination of questions as to membership

Oaths of Allegiance and Secrecy

General function of Council

Functions of Council in respect of Bills and subsidiary legislation

Copies of Bills and amendments thereto to be sent to Council

Functions of Council in regard to Bills enacted on a certificate of urgency

Functions of Council in regard to subsidiary legislation

Functions of Council in regard to certain written law

Duties of Chairman

Quorum and voting

Proceedings of Council to be in private

Council’s report

Validity of proceedings notwithstanding vacancy in membership

Attendance of Minister, etc.

Power of Council to make rules regulating procedure

Annual report

Salaries and fees

Appointment of staff

Power to make rules generally

PART VIII: THE JUDICIARY

Judicial power of Singapore

Jurisdiction to determine questions as to validity of Presidential election

Constitution of Supreme Court

Appointment of Judges of Supreme Court

Qualifications of Judges of Supreme Court

Oath of Office of Judges and Judicial Commissioners of Supreme Court

Tenure of office and remuneration of Judges of Supreme Court

Restriction on Parliamentary discussion of conduct of a Judge of Supreme Court

Advisory opinion

Definition of office

PART IX: THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Public services

Interpretation of this Part

Tenure of public office

Public Service Commission

Disqualification for appointment to Commission

Tenure of office

Terms of service of Chairman and members of Commission

Secretary to Commission

Appointment, etc., of public officers

Education Service Commission

Police and Civil Defence Services Commission

Provisions applicable to Education Service Commission and Police and Civil Defence Services Commission

Personnel boards

Legal Service Commission

Promotion to significant grade

Protection of pension rights

Power of Public Service Commission and Legal Service Commission in relation to pensions, etc.

Pension rights on transfer

Regulations regarding public service

Validation of acts done and rules made by Public Service Commission

Performance by Public Service Commission of other functions

Reports of Commissions

PART X: CITIZENSHIP

Status of citizen of Singapore

Citizenship by birth

Citizenship by descent

Citizenship by registration

Registration of minors

Effect of registration

General provisions as to registration

Citizenship by naturalisation

Renunciation of citizenship

Deprivation of citizenship

Deprivation of citizenship of child of person losing citizenship

General provisions as to loss of citizenship

Cancellation of enrolment as citizen

Procedure for deprivation

Deprivation of citizenship on acquisition of foreign citizenship

Deprivation of citizenship on exercise of rights of foreign nationals, etc.

Termination of citizenship of Malaysia

Deprivation of citizenship or cancellation of enrolment of child of person losing citizenship

Grant of certificate of citizenship in cases of doubt

Commonwealth citizenship

Application of Third Schedule

Repeal

PART XI: FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Interpretation of this Part

No taxation unless authorised by law

Restriction on loans, guarantees, etc.

Consolidated Fund

Withdrawal from Consolidated Fund, etc.

Annual estimates and financial statements

Authorisation of expenditure from Consolidated Fund and Development Fund

Withholding of assent to Supply Bill, etc.

Power to authorise expenditure on account, etc., or for unspecified purposes

Contingencies Funds

Parliament may overrule President’s withholding of assent to Supply Bill, etc.

Debt charges and moneys required to satisfy judgments

Appointment of Auditor-General

Duty to inform President of certain transactions

Publication of President’s opinion regarding certain liabilities of the Government

Transfer of Government’s past reserves

PART XII: SPECIAL POWERS AGAINST SUBVERSION AND EMERGENCY POWERS

Legislation against subversion

Proclamation of Emergency

Restrictions on preventive detention

Defence and security measures

PART XIII: GENERAL PROVISIONS

Minorities and special position of Malays

Muslim religion

Official languages and national language

Impartial treatment of Government employees

Exemption

Authorised reprints of Constitution

Date of coming into operation of Constitution

PART XIV: TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

Existing Standing Orders

Public officers to continue in office

Terms of service of persons who continue in office

Succession to property

Rights, liabilities and obligations

Existing laws

Person holding office of President immediately prior to 30th November 1991 to continue to hold such office

FIRST SCHEDULE

FORMS OF OATHS

SECOND SCHEDULE

OATH OF RENUNCIATION, ALLEGIANCE AND LOYALTY

THIRD SCHEDULE

CITIZENSHIP

FOURTH SCHEDULE

APPOINTMENT OF NOMINATED MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

FIFTH SCHEDULE

KEY STATUTORY BOARDS AND GOVERNMENT COMPANIES

PART 1

PART I: PRELIMINARY

Table of Contents

Citation

Table of Contents

1. This Constitution may be cited as the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.

Interpretation

Table of Contents

2. —(1) In this Constitution, unless it is otherwise provided or the context otherwise requires —

Cabinet means the Cabinet constituted under this Constitution;Civil List means the provision made under Article 22J for the maintenance of the President;citizen of Singapore means any person who, under the provisions of this Constitution, has the status of a citizen of Singapore;commencement , used with reference to this Constitution, means 9th August 1965;Consolidated Fund means the Consolidated Fund established by this Constitution;Council of Presidential Advisers means the Council of Presidential Advisers constituted under Part VA;existing law means any law having effect as part of the law of Singapore immediately before the commencement of this Constitution;Government means the Government of Singapore;Judge of the Supreme Court includes the Chief Justice, a Judge of Appeal and a Judge of the High Court;law includes written law and any legislation of the United Kingdom or other enactment or instrument whatsoever which is in operation in Singapore and the common law in so far as it is in operation in Singapore and any custom or usage having the force of law in Singapore;Legal Service Commission means the Legal Service Commission constituted under this Constitution;Legislature means the Legislature of Singapore;Minister means a Minister appointed under this Constitution;office of profit means, subject to clause (5), any whole time office in the public service;Parliament means the Parliament of Singapore;President means the President of Singapore elected under this Constitution and includes any person for the time being exercising the functions of the office of President;Presidential Elections Committee means the Presidential Elections Committee constituted under Article 18;Prime Minister means the Prime Minister of Singapore appointed under this Constitution;public office means, subject to clause (5), an office of emolument in the public service;public officer means the holder of any public office;public seal means the public seal of Singapore;public service means service under the Government;Public Service Commission means the Public Service Commission constituted under this Constitution;register of electors means any register of electors prepared under the provisions of any written law for the time being in force relating to Parliamentary elections;remuneration , in respect of any public officer, means only the emoluments of that officer, the whole or any part of which count for pension in accordance with the provisions of any law relating to the grant of pensions in respect of the public service;reserves , in relation to the Government, a statutory board or Government company, means the excess of assets over liabilities of the Government, statutory board or Government company, as the case may be;session means the sittings of Parliament commencing when it first meets after being constituted, or after its prorogation or dissolution at any time, and terminating when Parliament is prorogued or is dissolved without having been prorogued;Singapore means the Republic of Singapore;sitting means a period during which Parliament is sitting continuously without adjournment, including any period during which Parliament is in committee;Speaker and Deputy Speaker mean, respectively, the Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of Parliament;term of office , in relation to the Government, means the period —(a) commencing on the date the Prime Minister and Ministers first take and subscribe the Oath of Allegiance in accordance with Article 27 after a general election; and(b) ending after the next general election on the date immediately before the Prime Minister and Ministers first take and subscribe the Oath of Allegiance in accordance with Article 27;terms of service , in respect of any officer, includes the remuneration to which that officer is entitled by virtue of his office, and any pension, gratuity or other like allowance payable to or in respect of that officer;written law means this Constitution and all Acts and Ordinances and subsidiary legislation for the time being in force in Singapore.

(2) Except where this Constitution otherwise provides or where the context otherwise requires —

(a) the person or authority having power to make substantive appointments to any public office may appoint a person to perform the functions of that office during any period when it is vacant or when the holder thereof is unable (whether by reason of absence or infirmity of body or mind or any other cause) to perform those functions;(b) every appointment to perform the functions of an office made under paragraph (a) shall be made in the same manner as and subject to the same conditions as apply to a substantive appointment to that office;(c) any reference in this Constitution to the holder of any office by the term designating his office shall be construed as including a reference to any person for the time being lawfully performing the functions of that office; and(d) any reference in this Constitution to an appointment to any office shall be construed as including a reference to an appointment to perform the functions of that office.

(3) Where in this Constitution power is conferred on any person or authority to appoint a person to perform the functions of any office if the holder thereof is unable himself to perform its functions, any such appointment shall not be called in question on the ground that the holder of that office was not unable to perform those functions.

(4) For the purposes of this Constitution, the resignation of a member of any body or the holder of any office constituted by this Constitution that is required to be addressed to any person shall be deemed to have effect from the time that it is received by that person:

Provided that, in the case of a resignation that is required to be addressed to the Speaker, the resignation shall, if the office of Speaker is vacant or the Speaker is absent from Singapore, be deemed to have effect from the time that it is received by a Deputy Speaker on behalf of the Speaker.

(5) For the purposes of this Constitution, a person shall not be considered as holding a public office or an office of profit by reason of the fact that he is in receipt of any remuneration or allowances (including a pension or other like allowance) in respect of his tenure of the office of President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Minister, Parliamentary Secretary, Political Secretary, Member of Parliament, Ambassador, High Commissioner or such other office as the President may, from time to time, by order, prescribe*.

* Offices of Consul-General and