Statute Details
- Title: Notification under Section 4(1)(a)(i)
- Act Code: RELA1983-N13
- Type: Subsidiary legislation / legislative notification (SL)
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275), section 4(1)(a)(i)
- Legislative Instrument: Notification under Section 4(1)(a)(i) — G.N. No. S 301/1998
- Publication / SL Number: SL 301/1998
- Revised Edition Reference: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275), section 4(1)(a)(i)
- Revised Edition Date: 31 January 2000 (2000 RevEd)
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Core Legal Effect (as stated in the text): Omission of the Government Loans (Conversion and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Chapter 120) from the revised edition of Acts
What Is This Legislation About?
This “Notification under Section 4(1)(a)(i)” is not a substantive regulatory statute that creates new legal duties for the public. Instead, it is an administrative legislative instrument connected to Singapore’s legislative revision process. In plain terms, it is a formal notice that certain legislation—specifically the Government Loans (Conversion and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Chapter 120)—was omitted from the Revised Edition of Acts.
The notification is issued under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275). That Act provides the legal framework for how older laws are consolidated, revised, and republished in updated “revised editions” of Singapore’s laws. The purpose is to maintain an accurate, usable, and current legislative collection by removing provisions that are no longer necessary, superseded, or otherwise appropriate to exclude from the revised compilation.
Although the instrument is short, its practical importance is real: omission from a revised edition can affect how lawyers locate, cite, and rely on legislation. It may also reflect that the omitted Act has been spent, repealed, or otherwise treated as not requiring inclusion in the updated compilation. For practitioners, the key is understanding that this notification is about legislative housekeeping—the management of the law’s published form—rather than about changing substantive rights and obligations.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The enabling power (section 4(1)(a)(i) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act). The notification states that it is made “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 4(1)(a)(i)” of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. This is the legal basis authorising the Law Revision Commissioners to decide what should be omitted from a revised edition of Acts. The provision is therefore central: it explains that the omission is not arbitrary; it is grounded in a statutory process.
2. The specific omission: Government Loans (Conversion and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Chapter 120). The operative statement is that the Law Revision Commissioners have omitted the Government Loans (Conversion and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Chapter 120) from the revised edition of Acts. In practical terms, this means that when the laws were republished in the 2000 Revised Edition, this particular Act was not included in that compilation.
3. The effect is tied to the revised edition, not necessarily to repeal. The text emphasises omission from the revised edition. That distinction matters for legal analysis. Omission from a revised edition typically indicates that the Act is not carried forward in the consolidated publication. However, whether the Act is legally repealed or merely excluded from the revised compilation may require cross-checking with the legislation timeline and related repeal/transition provisions. A practitioner should not assume that “omitted from revised edition” automatically equals “repealed” in all circumstances; the correct approach is to verify the Act’s current status and any continuing effect.
4. Versioning and “current version” status. The notification is shown as “current version as at 27 Mar 2026.” This does not necessarily mean the omission is newly made in 2026; rather, it indicates that the notification document itself remains part of the current legislative database and is the latest consolidated version of that instrument. The historical timeline indicates the notification was published in 1998 (SL 301/1998) and the revised edition reference is 31 January 2000 (2000 RevEd). Practitioners should therefore treat the instrument as a historical legislative revision act, while still relying on the current database version for accurate citation.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a notification rather than a multi-part statute. It contains: (i) an enacting formula referencing the enabling provision; (ii) a short operative statement identifying the Act omitted; and (iii) publication metadata (SL number and Gazette notification number). There are no substantive “Parts” or “sections” in the usual sense because the legal content is limited to the omission decision.
In the legislative database, the document is presented with a “Timeline” and “Versions” feature. This is important for legal research: the database may show the original Gazette notification (e.g., SL 301/1998) and the revised edition context (2000 RevEd). The “current version” label is a database status indicator, not a sign that the omission was re-enacted recently.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
At face value, the notification does not “apply” to a class of private persons in the way regulatory statutes do. Its direct addressees are the Law Revision Commissioners and the legislative revision process under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The practical impact is felt indirectly by legal practitioners, courts, government agencies, and researchers who rely on the published revised edition for authoritative citation.
For lawyers, the relevant “audience” is anyone who needs to determine whether the Government Loans (Conversion and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Chapter 120) is available in the revised compilation and how it should be cited. Depending on the Act’s legal status (repealed, spent, or still operative), the omission may affect research strategy and the choice of primary sources.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
First, it affects legal certainty in citation and access. Singapore’s legal system depends on accurate referencing of legislation. When an Act is omitted from a revised edition, practitioners must ensure they cite the correct version and understand where the Act can be found (for example, in earlier editions or archived compilations). This is particularly important in litigation where parties must identify the controlling statutory text and its effective date.
Second, it highlights the role of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act in maintaining the legislative corpus. The notification illustrates that law revision is not merely editorial; it can involve formal omission decisions. Such decisions can streamline the legal landscape, reduce clutter, and prevent reliance on outdated or no longer relevant statutes.
Third, it underscores a key research principle: database “current version” does not always mean “substantively current”. The notification remains “current” in the sense that it is the latest database representation of that instrument, but the substantive event—omission from the revised edition—occurred in the late 1990s/early 2000s revision cycle. A practitioner should therefore combine the database view with the timeline and the status of the underlying Act (Chapter 120) to determine whether any continuing legal effect exists.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275), in particular section 4(1)(a)(i)
- Government Loans (Conversion and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Chapter 120)
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (2000 RevEd context referenced by the notification)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Notification under Section 4 (1)(a)(i) for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.