Statute Details
- Title: Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2005
- Act Code: NPPA1974-S380-2005
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206)
- Power Exercised: Section 44(1) of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act
- Enacting Formula: Made by the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts
- Commencement: 17 June 2005
- Key Provisions: Section 2 (Exemption); Section 3 (Cancellation); Section 1 (Citation and commencement)
- Schedule: Lists advisory bodies whose newspapers are exempted (as referenced in section 2(1))
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026 (with amendments effective 15 October 2012)
- Notable Amendments (from timeline): Amended by S 188/2006; S 647/2009; S 516/2012 (effective 15/10/2012)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2005 is a subsidiary legislative instrument made under the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206). In plain language, it creates specific exemptions from a particular regulatory requirement in the Act—namely, the obligation in section 21 of the Act—for certain categories of newspapers.
The Order is not a general “licensing” framework; rather, it is targeted. It recognises that some newspapers are produced and disseminated by bodies that serve public or advisory functions, and it provides that such newspapers should not be subject to the same statutory constraint as other newspapers. This helps ensure that the regulatory regime does not impede legitimate public communication by advisory bodies and statutory bodies acting for public purposes.
Practically, the Order operates as a legal “carve-out” from section 21. For lawyers advising publishers, statutory bodies, or entities connected to advisory functions, the key question becomes whether the relevant newspaper falls within the categories described in section 2 and the Schedule. If it does, the newspaper is exempt from section 21 of the Act.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) provides the formal identification of the instrument and its start date. The Order may be cited as the “Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2005” and came into operation on 17 June 2005. For compliance purposes, this matters when determining whether the exemption applies to newspapers published before or after commencement, and when assessing any regulatory history.
Section 2 (Exemption) is the core operative provision. It provides that certain newspapers are exempted from section 21 of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act. The exemption is expressed in two main limbs.
First, section 2(1) exempts “Newspapers printed and published by the advisory bodies specified in the Schedule” from section 21. The Schedule is therefore central: it identifies the advisory bodies whose newspapers qualify for the exemption. The legal effect is that, for those newspapers, the statutory requirement in section 21 does not apply.
Second, section 2(2) extends the exemption beyond the Schedule. It exempts “newspapers printed or published by or under the auspices of any statutory body constituted by or under any public Act for a public purpose” from section 21. This is a broader, functional category based on the publisher’s legal status (a statutory body) and purpose (public purpose), rather than on a named list.
Notably, the text indicates that both section 2(1) and section 2(2) were amended by S 516/2012 with effect from 15 October 2012. For practitioners, this means that the exemption’s scope may have changed over time. When advising on historical compliance or assessing whether a particular publication was exempt at a particular date, it is essential to consult the version of the Order in force at that time (or to rely on the legislation timeline/version history).
Section 3 (Cancellation) provides that the “Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) (Statutory Bodies) Notification (N 6)” is cancelled. This is a classic legislative consolidation technique: it removes an earlier exemption notification and replaces it with the new Order. From a legal risk perspective, cancellation is important because it prevents reliance on superseded instruments. If a publisher previously relied on Notification N 6, counsel should verify that the exemption continues under the 2005 Order (and, if relevant, under the amended wording effective from 2012).
The Schedule (referenced in section 2(1)) lists the advisory bodies whose newspapers are exempt. While the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule contents, the Schedule’s legal function is clear: it identifies the specific advisory bodies for the purposes of the exemption. In practice, lawyers should treat the Schedule as authoritative and confirm whether the relevant advisory body is included by name (or by the Schedule’s description) and whether the newspaper is “printed and published” by that body.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a straightforward three-part format:
(1) Enacting Formula and formal provisions establish the legal basis and the instrument’s commencement.
(2) Section 1 sets out citation and commencement.
(3) Section 2 contains the substantive exemption, with two categories: (a) newspapers printed and published by advisory bodies in the Schedule; and (b) newspapers printed or published by or under the auspices of statutory bodies constituted under public Acts for public purposes.
(4) Section 3 cancels an earlier exemption notification (N 6).
Finally, the Schedule operates as a reference list for the first category of exempt newspapers. The Schedule is not merely descriptive; it is a legal determinant of whether the exemption applies.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The exemption applies to newspapers that meet the specified criteria. It does not apply to all publications generally; it is tied to the statutory concept of “newspapers” under the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act and to the exemption categories in section 2.
In terms of publishers, the Order covers:
(a) Advisory bodies listed in the Schedule—where the newspapers are “printed and published” by those advisory bodies; and
(b) Statutory bodies constituted by or under any public Act for a public purpose—where the newspapers are printed or published by or under the auspices of such statutory bodies.
For lawyers advising entities, the practical applicability analysis typically involves: (i) confirming the entity’s legal character (advisory body vs statutory body); (ii) confirming whether the entity is included in the Schedule (for advisory bodies); (iii) confirming the newspaper’s relationship to the entity (printed/published by the body, or under its auspices); and (iv) confirming the purpose requirement for statutory bodies (public purpose).
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it clarifies when certain newspapers are exempt from a regulatory requirement in section 21 of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act. In Singapore’s regulatory environment, where newspaper and printing press activities are subject to statutory controls, exemptions reduce compliance burdens for entities whose publications serve legitimate public or advisory functions.
From a practitioner’s standpoint, the Order is most valuable in three scenarios. First, it supports compliance planning for statutory bodies and advisory bodies that publish informational or public-facing materials in newspaper form. Second, it assists in risk assessment where a publisher may otherwise be uncertain whether section 21 applies. Third, it is relevant in historical compliance because amendments effective 15 October 2012 indicate that the exemption’s scope may have evolved.
Enforcement-wise, the exemption operates as a legal defence against the applicability of section 21. However, the exemption is not automatic for every publication: it depends on the newspaper’s publisher and the legal basis described in section 2. Lawyers should therefore avoid assumptions and instead verify the factual and legal predicates—particularly whether the newspaper is produced “by or under the auspices of” a qualifying statutory body, and whether the statutory body is constituted for a “public purpose.”
Related Legislation
- Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206) — in particular, section 21 (the provision from which exemptions are granted) and section 44(1) (the enabling power for exemption orders).
- Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) (Statutory Bodies) Notification (N 6) — cancelled by section 3 of this Order.
- Printing Presses Act — referenced in the provided metadata as related legislation within the broader regulatory framework.
- Legislation Timeline / Version History — relevant for determining the operative wording as at specific dates (notably amendments effective 15 October 2012).
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2005 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.