Statute Details
- Title: Order under Section 11(3)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S350-2001
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Enacting Formula: Order by the President
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Key Legal Basis: Section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Commencement/Effective Date: 31 July 2001 (as specified in the Order)
- Publication/Instrument Identifier: SL 350/2001
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Schedule: Refers to the Acts set out in the Schedule (published as loose-leaf editions as at 30 June 2001)
What Is This Legislation About?
This instrument is a Presidential Order made under section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275). In practical terms, it is not a “substantive” law that creates new rights or offences. Instead, it is a legal mechanism that determines which version of certain Acts is to be treated as the authoritative “proper law” of Singapore for use in courts and for all legal purposes.
The Order is tied to the Law Revision Commissioners’ publication of Acts in “loose-leaf form”. Such loose-leaf editions are typically used to compile and update legislation in a controlled format. The Order then provides that, once effective, those loose-leaf editions become the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of the Acts listed in the Schedule.
For lawyers, the significance lies in legal certainty and litigation readiness: when courts apply “the law”, they must rely on an authoritative text. This Order ensures that, for the specified Acts, the loose-leaf edition is the definitive reference point “in all courts and for all purposes”.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory “whereas” framework and the purpose of revision
The Order begins with recitals explaining the legislative process. It states that, pursuant to section 10 of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, the Law Revision Commissioners have published in loose-leaf form the Acts set out in the Schedule as in force on 30 June 2001. This establishes the factual predicate: the Commissioners have produced a revised compilation reflecting the law at a specific cut-off date.
2. The President’s power under section 11(3)
The recitals also highlight the legal authority: section 11(3) provides that the Commissioners must transmit to the President a copy of each loose-leaf edition, and the President may then, by order published in the Gazette, specify that the loose-leaf edition of these Acts shall be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts.
3. The operative clause: “sole and only proper law”
The operative part of the Order is the key legal effect. It provides that the loose-leaf edition of the Acts listed in the Schedule “shall, with effect from 31st July 2001, be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts.” This language is designed to eliminate ambiguity about which text should be treated as authoritative.
From a practitioner’s perspective, this means that when advising clients, drafting pleadings, or arguing points of law, counsel should ensure that the statutory provisions relied upon are taken from the proper authoritative edition. If there are multiple versions in circulation (for example, earlier printed editions or unofficial compilations), the Order elevates the specified loose-leaf edition to the definitive status for court and legal purposes.
4. Date, formalities, and publication
The Order is dated 5 July 2001 and signed by the Secretary to the Cabinet on behalf of the President (“By Command”). It also references an internal file number: [AG/REV/ED/1/2001]. While these details are procedural, they confirm the instrument’s formal character and its linkage to the Gazette publication requirement mentioned in the recitals.
Although the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule contents, the Schedule is central: it identifies the specific Acts covered by the Order. The legal effect is limited to those Acts in the Schedule; the “sole and only proper law” status does not automatically extend to every statute in Singapore.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured in a conventional format for a Presidential Order under a revision statute. It contains:
(a) Title and status information indicating it is an “Order under Section 11(3)” and showing it is the current version as at 27 March 2026.
(b) Enacting formula and recitals explaining the legal basis and the factual background (publication by the Law Revision Commissioners of loose-leaf Acts as at 30 June 2001).
(c) The operative provision stating the effective date (31 July 2001) and the legal consequence (“sole and only proper law” for the Acts in the Schedule).
(d) The Schedule (not reproduced in the extract) which lists the Acts to which the Order applies.
In other words, the “substance” of the instrument is the legal effect clause, while the Schedule determines the scope of coverage.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to the Acts listed in its Schedule. It does not directly impose obligations on individuals or regulate conduct in the ordinary regulatory sense. Instead, it governs the authoritative legal text of those Acts for use in Singapore’s legal system.
Its practical reach is therefore broad across the legal community: courts, litigants, legal practitioners, government agencies, and anyone who must rely on the “proper law” of Singapore when interpreting and applying the specified Acts. The Order’s phrase “in all courts and for all purposes” underscores that the authoritative status is universal within the legal system, not limited to particular proceedings or administrative contexts.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although this Order is procedural in nature, it is important because it underpins legal certainty. In litigation, the precise wording of statutory provisions matters. If different versions of an Act are treated as authoritative, disputes may arise about which text governs—particularly where amendments, revisions, or reprints have occurred over time.
This Order resolves that problem for the Acts in the Schedule by designating a single authoritative compilation: the loose-leaf edition published by the Law Revision Commissioners as at 30 June 2001. The “sole and only proper law” language is designed to foreclose arguments that another edition should be preferred for court purposes.
For practitioners, the key practical impact is on research and citation. When preparing submissions, counsel should ensure that references to statutory provisions are drawn from the proper authoritative edition. This is especially relevant when using secondary sources, older printed compilations, or online materials that may not reflect the authoritative “proper law” status at the relevant time.
In addition, the effective date (31 July 2001) may matter in transitional contexts. If a dispute concerns events occurring before and after that date, counsel may need to consider which version of the Act was authoritative at the relevant time. While the Order itself is about “proper law” status rather than substantive amendment, the cut-off date and effective date can still be relevant to how counsel frames arguments and supports them with the correct text.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — particularly section 10 (publication in loose-leaf form) and section 11(3) (President’s order making the loose-leaf edition the sole and only proper law)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Order under Section 11(3) for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.