Statute Details
- Title: Notice under Section 17(5)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S44-2008
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL) notice
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Key Legal Provision: Section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Primary Instrument Date: 9 January 2008
- SL Number: S 44/2008
- Effective Date Appointed: 31 January 2008 (for the 2008 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation)
- Enacting Body: Law Revision Commission
- Signature: CHAO HICK TIN, Chairman, Law Revision Commission
What Is This Legislation About?
This instrument is a formal notice issued under section 17(5) of Singapore’s Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275). In plain terms, it tells the public—and legal practitioners in particular—that the Law Revision Commissioners have prepared and published a consolidated “revised edition” of subsidiary legislation, and that a specific date has been appointed for that revised edition to come into force.
Although the notice itself is short, its legal function is significant. Revised editions are not merely editorial updates; they are the legally operative versions of subsidiary legislation as incorporated in a loose-leaf format (and, in practice, later reproduced in official publications). The notice therefore affects how lawyers should cite and rely on subsidiary legislation provisions—especially where amendments have been incorporated up to a stated cut-off date.
In this particular notice, the Law Revision Commissioners state that the 2008 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation (made under the Acts listed in the Schedule) incorporates all amendments up to 1 January 2008. The notice then appoints 31 January 2008 as the date when that revised edition comes into force.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory basis: section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
The notice is grounded in section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. That provision empowers the Law Revision Commissioners to publish revised editions of subsidiary legislation in a loose-leaf form and to issue a notice specifying the date the revised edition comes into force. Practically, this mechanism ensures that the revised edition becomes the authoritative reference point for the law as consolidated at the relevant cut-off date.
2. Incorporation of amendments up to a defined date
The notice expressly states that, pursuant to section 17(5), the Law Revision Commissioners have caused to be published in loose-leaf form the 2008 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation made under the Acts set out in the Schedule. It further clarifies that the revised edition incorporates all amendments up to 1 January 2008. This is crucial for practitioners because it defines the temporal scope of what is included in the revised edition.
3. Appointment of the effective date
The operative legal effect of the notice is the appointment of 31 January 2008 as the date the 2008 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation shall come into force. From that date, the revised edition is treated as the legally effective consolidated version for the subsidiary legislation covered by the Schedule.
4. Formalities: date of notice and signatory
The notice is dated 9 January 2008 and signed by CHAO HICK TIN, Chairman of the Law Revision Commission. While these are procedural details, they also provide practitioners with the document’s provenance and confirm that it is an official instrument issued by the competent authority.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a notice rather than a typical regulatory statute. It contains an enacting formula and a short schedule-like structure, but the substantive content is concentrated in a single paragraph (the “Whereas/Now, therefore” format) and the formal identification of the revised edition and its effective date.
Key structural elements include:
- Enacting formula: The formal statement that the notice is made under the authority of section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act.
- “Whereas” recital: Explains that the Law Revision Commissioners have published the 2008 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation in loose-leaf form, incorporating amendments up to 1 January 2008.
- “Now, therefore” operative statement: Notifies that 31 January 2008 is appointed as the date the revised edition comes into force.
- Signature block: Identifies the Chairman and date of issuance.
For practitioners, the “structure” matters less than the legal effect: it is a date-appointment notice that activates a consolidated legal publication.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
Because this is a notice about the coming into force of a revised edition of subsidiary legislation, it applies broadly to all persons who must comply with, interpret, or cite the subsidiary legislation covered by the Schedule to the revised edition.
In practice, the notice is most relevant to:
- Legal practitioners (lawyers, counsel, and in-house legal teams) who must ensure they are referencing the correct consolidated version of subsidiary legislation;
- Regulated entities subject to subsidiary legislation (licensing, regulatory requirements, procedural rules, and administrative obligations);
- Courts and tribunals when determining the applicable law at the relevant time; and
- Government agencies administering or enforcing subsidiary legislation.
Importantly, the notice does not create new substantive regulatory obligations by itself. Instead, it determines when the consolidated revised edition becomes the authoritative reference for the subsidiary legislation it covers.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the notice is brief, it plays a foundational role in legal certainty. Singapore’s legal system relies on accurate and up-to-date consolidation of legislation. Revised editions help ensure that practitioners can locate and cite the law in a consolidated form that reflects amendments up to a specified cut-off date.
1. Citation and version control
For litigation and advisory work, the most immediate practical impact is version control. When a revised edition comes into force, the consolidated text becomes the standard reference for the covered subsidiary legislation. Lawyers must therefore be careful when citing provisions to ensure that they are using the correct version applicable to the relevant period—particularly where amendments occurred between the cut-off date (1 January 2008) and the effective date (31 January 2008), or where later amendments exist after the revised edition.
2. Enforcement and interpretive reliance
Regulatory enforcement often depends on the precise wording of subsidiary legislation. By appointing the effective date for the revised edition, the notice supports consistent interpretation and application. Agencies and regulated parties can rely on the revised edition as the consolidated legal text for the relevant timeframe.
3. Administrative efficiency and legal accessibility
Loose-leaf and revised editions are designed to make the law more accessible and manageable. For practitioners, this reduces the risk of missing amendments or relying on outdated text. Even though the notice itself does not amend substantive rules, it underpins the integrity of the legislative record.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular section 17(5), which authorises the Law Revision Commissioners to publish revised editions and appoint the date they come into force.
- Subsidiary legislation covered by the 2008 Revised Edition — identified in the Schedule to the revised edition (the Acts set out in that Schedule).
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Notice under Section 17(5) for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.