Statute Details
- Title: Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2012
- Act Code: NPPA1974-S339-2012
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per the legislation record)
- Enacting Formula / Authorising Power: Made under section 44(1)(b)(ii) of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206)
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Exemption)
- Commencement: 18 July 2012
- SL Number: S 339/2012
- Date Made: 16 July 2012
- Maker: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (Chan Yeng Kit)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2012 is a short piece of subsidiary legislation that grants a targeted exemption from a specific regulatory requirement under Singapore’s Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (the “Act”). In plain terms, it allows the Singapore University of Technology and Design (“SUTD”) to carry out the printing and publishing of a newspaper in Singapore without being subject to the particular obligation found in section 21 of the Act.
Orders of this type are typically used to calibrate the regulatory framework. Rather than amending the main Act, the Minister (or the authorised authority) can carve out exceptions for specific entities or activities where full compliance with a statutory provision is not necessary, would be disproportionate, or where a special policy rationale exists.
Although the Order is brief—containing only two operative provisions—it is legally significant because it directly affects whether SUTD must comply with section 21 of the Act for the printing and publishing of any newspaper by SUTD in Singapore. For practitioners, the key is to understand (i) what section 21 requires, (ii) how the exemption is framed, and (iii) the practical compliance consequences for SUTD and any stakeholders involved in the printing and publishing process.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) provides the formal identity and effective date of the Order. It states that the Order may be cited as the “Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2012” and that it “shall come into operation on 18th July 2012.” This matters for compliance timing: any activity undertaken by SUTD after commencement would fall within the exemption, subject to the scope described in section 2.
Section 2 (Exemption) is the operative clause. It provides that the Minister “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 exemption is therefore:
- From a specific statutory provision: section 21 of the Act.
- For a specific entity: SUTD.
- For a specific activity context: “the printing and publishing, in Singapore” of “any newspaper” by SUTD.
In practical terms, the exemption is not limited to a particular title, edition, or frequency of publication. The wording “any newspaper” suggests breadth: if SUTD prints and publishes a newspaper in Singapore, the exemption is intended to cover that activity, provided it is indeed “by” SUTD and occurs “in Singapore.”
However, the legal effect depends on what section 21 of the Act actually requires. While the extract provided does not reproduce section 21, the exemption’s drafting indicates that section 21 imposes some regulatory obligation on relevant persons or activities related to newspapers and printing presses. The exemption removes SUTD from that obligation for the specified activity. For lawyers advising SUTD or parties contracting with SUTD (e.g., printers, distributors, or content providers), the key compliance question becomes: which obligations would otherwise have applied under section 21, and whether any other provisions of the Act (or other laws) still apply.
Another important drafting feature is that the exemption is “with respect to” the printing and publishing of any newspaper. This phrase is often used to ensure that the exemption is tied to the relevant regulatory subject matter rather than to all activities of the exempt entity. Accordingly, the exemption should be read as activity-specific: it applies to the printing and publishing of newspapers by SUTD in Singapore, not necessarily to other regulatory domains (for example, unrelated publishing activities, non-newspaper publications, or activities outside Singapore).
Finally, the Order is “made” by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, on 16 July 2012. The enacting formula confirms that the Minister’s power derives from section 44(1)(b)(ii) of the Act. This is relevant for administrative law and statutory interpretation: it confirms the legal basis for the exemption and supports the validity of the Order as an exercise of the statutory discretion conferred by the Act.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a minimal, two-section format:
- Section 1: Citation and commencement (when the Order takes effect).
- Section 2: Exemption (the substantive legal relief granted).
There are no additional parts, schedules, definitions, or conditions in the extract. This means the legal analysis is straightforward but also requires careful attention to the scope of the exemption language in section 2. Practitioners should therefore focus on interpreting the terms “exempts from section 21,” “Singapore University of Technology and Design,” “printing and publishing,” “in Singapore,” and “any newspaper.”
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to the Singapore University of Technology and Design in relation to its printing and publishing of any newspaper in Singapore. The exemption is entity-specific and activity-specific. It does not, on its face, extend to other universities, publishers, printing presses, or third parties—even if they are involved in printing or distributing SUTD’s newspaper—unless their obligations are directly linked to section 21 and the exemption operates in a way that relieves them as well.
For third parties, the practical effect may be indirect. For example, if printers or distributors would otherwise need to comply with requirements under section 21 (or related provisions), the exemption’s scope may or may not relieve them. Lawyers should therefore not assume that the exemption automatically benefits all participants in the supply chain. Instead, they should map the statutory obligations under the Act and determine whether section 21 imposes duties on the publisher, the printer, or both, and whether the exemption’s wording (“exempts … SUTD … with respect to … printing and publishing”) affects those duties.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though the Order is brief, it is important because it modifies the regulatory obligations that would otherwise apply under the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act. Exemptions can materially affect compliance planning, contractual arrangements, and risk management. For SUTD, the exemption reduces the regulatory burden associated with section 21—whatever that provision requires—when SUTD prints and publishes a newspaper in Singapore.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the Order is also a useful example of how Singapore’s legislative framework uses subsidiary legislation to implement targeted policy outcomes. Rather than changing the Act broadly, the Minister uses the statutory power in section 44(1)(b)(ii) to tailor the regulatory regime. This approach can preserve the general regulatory structure while allowing flexibility for particular institutions or circumstances.
In enforcement terms, the exemption should be treated as a legal defence or relieving provision. If any enforcement action or compliance inquiry arises concerning section 21 obligations, SUTD can point to the Order as the specific instrument exempting it “with respect to” the relevant activity. Conversely, regulators and counterparties should verify whether the activity falls squarely within the exemption’s scope—particularly whether the publication qualifies as a “newspaper” and whether the printing and publishing is “in Singapore” and “by” SUTD.
Related Legislation
- Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206) — particularly section 21 (the provision from which SUTD is exempted) and section 44(1)(b)(ii) (the authorising power for exemptions).
- Printing Presses Act (as referenced in the legislation metadata) — relevant for understanding the broader printing regulatory environment, depending on how the Acts interact in practice.
- Legislation Timeline (as referenced in the record) — to confirm the correct version and any amendments affecting the Order or the underlying Act.
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.