Statute Details
- Title: Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2012
- Act Code: NPPA1974-S339-2012
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206)
- Enacting Authority: Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts
- Enacting Provision: Powers under section 44(1)(b)(ii) of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act
- Citation: Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2012
- Commencement Date: 18 July 2012
- Key Operative Provision: Section 2 (Exemption)
- Current Status (as provided): Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Relevant Subject Matter: Exemption from section 21 of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act
What Is This Legislation About?
The Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2012 is a short subsidiary instrument made under the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206). In plain terms, it creates a targeted legal exemption for a specific institution—Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)—allowing it to print and publish a newspaper in Singapore without being subject to a particular statutory requirement contained in section 21 of the parent Act.
Although the Order itself is brief, its practical effect is significant for compliance planning. It operates as a carve-out from the regulatory framework governing newspapers and printing presses. The exemption is limited in scope: it is tied to (i) the identity of the exempted entity (SUTD) and (ii) the activity described (printing and publishing “any newspaper” in Singapore by SUTD). It does not purport to create a general exemption for all universities, all educational institutions, or all publishers.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the key point is that the Order does not replace the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act. Instead, it modifies how the Act applies to SUTD by exempting SUTD from section 21. Accordingly, lawyers advising SUTD (or parties interacting with SUTD publications) must read the exemption alongside the parent Act to determine what obligations would otherwise apply and what compliance steps are still required.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) provides the formal identity of the instrument and its effective date. The Order may be cited as the Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2012 and comes into operation on 18 July 2012. For compliance purposes, this matters because any newspaper printing and publishing activities undertaken by SUTD before the commencement date would not benefit from the exemption unless another legal basis existed.
Section 2 (Exemption) is the operative provision. It states that the Minister “hereby exempts from section 21 of the Act” the Singapore University of Technology and Design “with respect to the printing and publishing, in Singapore, of any newspaper by the Singapore University of Technology and Design.” The drafting is notable for its specificity and breadth within its defined perimeter: it covers “any newspaper” (suggesting no limitation by subject matter, language, frequency, or editorial content), but only in relation to printing and publishing by SUTD in Singapore.
Because the exemption is from section 21 of the Act, the legal work for counsel is to identify what section 21 requires. While the extract provided does not reproduce section 21, the structure of the parent Act indicates that section 21 likely imposes a regulatory obligation affecting newspapers and/or printing presses (for example, licensing, registration, or other conditions). The exemption means that, for the covered activities, SUTD is relieved from whatever section 21 would otherwise mandate.
Scope and limits should be carefully analysed. The exemption is not phrased as an exemption from the entire Act; it is limited to section 21. Therefore, other provisions of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act may still apply to SUTD’s newspaper printing and publishing activities. In practice, this requires a “section-by-section” compliance review: counsel should confirm whether other sections impose duties (such as notification, record-keeping, or restrictions on certain conduct) that are not displaced by the exemption.
Additionally, the exemption is tied to “printing and publishing, in Singapore.” This language suggests territorial and activity-based limits. If SUTD were to print outside Singapore, or publish outside Singapore, the exemption’s coverage could be contested. Similarly, if SUTD were to engage a third party to print or publish on its behalf, counsel should consider whether the exemption is intended to cover those arrangements. The Order’s wording exempts SUTD “with respect to” the printing and publishing of any newspaper by SUTD; that may extend to practical publishing arrangements, but it is prudent to structure operations so that the legal relationship and responsibility remain clearly within SUTD’s control.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured as a two-section subsidiary instrument. It contains:
(a) Section 1: Citation and commencement. This is a standard provision that identifies the instrument and sets its effective date.
(b) Section 2: Exemption. This is the sole substantive provision and it specifies the exempted entity (SUTD), the provision from which it is exempted (section 21 of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act), and the activity covered (printing and publishing in Singapore of any newspaper by SUTD).
There are no schedules, definitions, or additional conditions in the extract. The absence of conditions means the exemption is likely intended to operate automatically once the factual criteria are met. However, practitioners should still verify whether the parent Act contains interpretive provisions or whether any general conditions apply to exemptions made under section 44(1)(b)(ii).
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The exemption applies to Singapore University of Technology and Design only. It is a person-specific exemption rather than a class exemption. As a result, other universities, publishers, or printing press operators do not automatically benefit from the Order.
In terms of activity, the exemption applies to SUTD “with respect to the printing and publishing, in Singapore, of any newspaper by the Singapore University of Technology and Design.” Therefore, the relevant stakeholders are: (i) SUTD itself (as the exempted entity), and (ii) any operational partners involved in printing and publishing activities in Singapore, to the extent those activities are carried out as part of SUTD’s newspaper production and publication.
Practitioners should also consider whether the exemption attaches to the institution as a legal entity and continues to apply after organisational changes (e.g., restructuring, name changes, or changes in legal status). While the Order does not address such scenarios, counsel should monitor institutional governance and ensure that the entity conducting the printing and publishing is indeed the same legal person identified in the Order.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though the Order is brief, it is important because it provides a clear regulatory relief for a specific publisher. For SUTD, the exemption reduces compliance friction by removing the need to satisfy the requirements of section 21 for the covered activities. This can be crucial for universities and educational institutions that publish newspapers for campus news, student affairs, research dissemination, or community engagement.
For lawyers, the Order is a useful example of how Singapore’s regulatory framework for newspapers and printing presses can be tailored through ministerial exemptions. It demonstrates that the parent Act’s obligations are not necessarily absolute; they can be modified where the Minister considers it appropriate to exempt particular entities. This is relevant when advising on licensing, registration, or other statutory steps that may otherwise be required.
From an enforcement and risk-management standpoint, the exemption also affects how regulators and counterparties should interpret compliance. If a dispute arises—such as an allegation that SUTD’s newspaper printing and publishing breached section 21—SUTD can rely on the exemption as a defence or as a basis for non-application of that provision. Conversely, parties interacting with SUTD publications should not assume that all regulatory requirements are waived; only section 21 is exempted. Counsel should therefore avoid overbroad assumptions and instead confirm which obligations remain applicable under the rest of the Act.
Related Legislation
- Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206) — the authorising Act; includes section 21 (from which SUTD is exempted) and section 44(1)(b)(ii) (the power to make exemptions).
- Printing Presses Act — referenced in the provided metadata as related legislation (practitioners should confirm how it interacts with the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act in the relevant regulatory scheme).
- Legislation Timeline / SL 339/2012 — the instrument’s dated entry (18 July 2012) and version history context.
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2012 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.