Statute Details
- Title: Notice under Section 17(5)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S754-2004
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Instrument Date: 14 December 2004
- Commencement / Effective Date (as stated): 31 December 2004
- Current Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Authorising Provision: Section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275)
- Enacting Formula / Authority: Law Revision Commission (Chairman: Chan Sek Keong)
- Key Subject Matter: Appointment of the date the “2004 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation” comes into force
- Schedule: THE SCHEDULE (as part of the notice’s publication framework)
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 (Cap. 275). In practical terms, it does not create new regulatory rules by itself. Instead, it performs an administrative-but-critical legal function: it sets the commencement date for a consolidated, revised edition of subsidiary legislation.
The notice explains that the Law Revision Commissioners have published, in loose-leaf form, the 2004 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation made under specified Acts (listed in the Schedule of the Revised Edition framework) and that this revised edition incorporates amendments up to 30 November 2004. The notice then appoints a date when that revised edition is to come into force.
For lawyers and compliance practitioners, the importance lies in legal certainty and continuity. When a revised edition comes into force, it becomes the authoritative reference point for the text of subsidiary legislation as consolidated and amended up to the stated cut-off date. This affects how counsel interpret, cite, and apply subsidiary legislation in advice, litigation, and regulatory work.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The operative appointment of a commencement date. The core operative statement is that the Law Revision Commissioners have appointed 31 December 2004 as the date the 2004 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation shall come into force. This is the legal “switch” that moves the legal system from the prior publication state to the revised consolidated text.
2. The incorporation of amendments up to a specified cut-off. The notice states that the revised edition incorporates all amendments up to 30 November 2004. This cut-off is crucial for practitioners: it defines the temporal boundary for what is included in the revised text. If an amendment occurred after 30 November 2004 but before the notice’s effective date, practitioners must check whether that later amendment is reflected elsewhere or whether it is dealt with through subsequent instruments.
3. The legal basis: section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The notice is grounded in section 17(5), which empowers the Law Revision Commissioners to publish revised editions of subsidiary legislation in loose-leaf form and to have a commencement date appointed for those editions. The notice therefore functions as the formal mechanism that gives effect to the revised compilation.
4. The “for general information” character of the notice. The notice expressly states that it is “hereby notified for general information” that the Law Revision Commissioners have appointed the commencement date. While the phrase may sound informational, it is still legally significant because it is the instrument that triggers the revised edition’s entry into force. In practice, courts, regulators, and practitioners rely on these notices to determine the authoritative text at relevant times.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Structurally, this instrument is short and procedural. It contains:
(a) An enacting formula that frames the notice under the relevant statutory authority (section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act).
(b) A “Schedule” component referenced as “THE SCHEDULE”. In the context of revised editions, the Schedule typically identifies the Acts under which subsidiary legislation is made and therefore which subsidiary legislation is included in the revised compilation.
(c) The operative recital and appointment explaining that the Law Revision Commissioners published the loose-leaf revised edition incorporating amendments up to 30 November 2004, and that they have appointed 31 December 2004 as the date the revised edition comes into force.
(d) Execution and dating by the Chairman of the Law Revision Commission, with the notice dated 14 December 2004.
Unlike substantive regulatory statutes, this notice does not contain detailed regulatory provisions (e.g., offences, licensing conditions, procedural steps). Its “structure” is designed to support the legal publication and commencement of a consolidated legislative text.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
Because this is a notice about the commencement of a revised edition of subsidiary legislation, it applies broadly to everyone who must rely on subsidiary legislation—including government agencies, regulated entities, legal practitioners, and the public—by determining which consolidated text is authoritative from the appointed date.
More specifically, it affects practitioners and courts when determining the applicable legal text at or after 31 December 2004. In regulatory compliance, the revised edition may be used as the primary reference for the content of subsidiary legislation as amended up to the cut-off date. However, it does not replace the need to check for later amendments or subsequent subsidiary instruments that may have been made after the cut-off and before the relevant conduct or decision date.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the notice is brief, it has outsized practical value. Singapore’s legal system depends on accurate, consolidated legislative texts. Without commencement notices for revised editions, there would be uncertainty about which version of subsidiary legislation should be treated as authoritative—particularly where amendments have been made over time.
1. Legal certainty and citation accuracy. For litigation and advisory work, the ability to cite the correct consolidated text is fundamental. The notice helps establish that, from 31 December 2004, the 2004 Revised Edition is the operative consolidated version. This reduces disputes about textual differences between older compilations and later amendments.
2. Practical compliance and regulatory interpretation. Compliance teams often rely on consolidated subsidiary legislation to interpret obligations. The notice ensures that the consolidated text incorporating amendments up to 30 November 2004 is the reference point once it comes into force. This supports consistent interpretation across regulated entities and enforcement agencies.
3. Temporal analysis in legal work. Lawyers frequently need to determine what the law was at a particular time. The notice provides a clear commencement date for the revised edition, which is a key anchor point for temporal legal analysis. When assessing conduct around late 2004, practitioners can use 31 December 2004 as a milestone for which consolidated version applied.
4. Administrative integrity of legislative publication. The notice reflects the broader legislative maintenance function carried out by the Law Revision Commission. It demonstrates that revised editions are not merely editorial; they are legally activated through a statutory mechanism. This is important for maintaining the integrity of the legislative record.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular, section 17(5) (the authorising provision for this notice)
- Subsidiary legislation made under the Acts listed in the Schedule to the revised edition framework (identified in the Schedule of the notice)
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.