Statute Details
- Title: Order under Section 11(3)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S753-2004
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Enacting Formula: Presidential Order
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Key Provision (authorisation): Section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Instrument Number: SL 753/2004
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (with reference to the 31 Dec 2004 effective date)
- Commencement / Effective Date: 31 December 2004
- Date of Order: 6 December 2004
- Gazette Mechanism: Order published in the Gazette
- Schedule: Acts set out in the Schedule (not reproduced in the extract)
What Is This Legislation About?
This instrument is a Presidential Order made under section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275). In practical terms, it is not a “substantive” law that creates new rights or offences. Instead, it is a legal continuity and consolidation mechanism used to determine which version of certain Acts should be treated as the sole and only proper law of Singapore for use in courts and for all legal purposes.
The Order is tied to a process carried out by the Law Revision Commissioners. Pursuant to section 10 of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, the Commissioners publish specified Acts in a loose-leaf form as they stand at a particular date (here, “as in force on 15th December 2004”). The President may then, by order published in the Gazette, declare that the loose-leaf edition is the proper law.
Accordingly, the core function of this Order is to replace or supersede earlier versions for legal purposes, ensuring that courts, practitioners, and government bodies rely on a single authoritative text. The Order declares that, with effect from 31 December 2004, the loose-leaf editions of the Acts listed in the Schedule become the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Declaration of “sole and only proper law”
The operative clause provides that the loose-leaf editions of the Acts set out in the Schedule shall, with effect from 31 December 2004, be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts. This phrase is significant: it is designed to eliminate ambiguity about which text is authoritative—particularly where multiple editions, reprints, or earlier consolidated versions may exist.
2. Reliance on the Law Revision Commissioners’ loose-leaf publication
The Order’s recitals explain that the Law Revision Commissioners have published the relevant Acts in loose-leaf form under section 10 of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The President’s power under section 11(3) is triggered by this publication. Thus, the Order is best understood as the final step in a statutory revision workflow: Commissioners prepare authoritative loose-leaf editions; the President then confirms their legal status.
3. Gazette publication and presidential authority
The Order states that the President may specify the loose-leaf edition as proper law by an order published in the Gazette. This requirement ensures formal public notice and provides a traceable legal basis for practitioners to confirm the authoritative version of the law.
4. Fixed effective date
The instrument specifies an effective date of 31 December 2004. This matters for legal practice because it determines the temporal boundary for which text is “proper law.” For disputes, compliance, and interpretation, lawyers often need to know whether the authoritative text changed at a particular time. Here, the change is anchored to a clear date, reducing uncertainty.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Structurally, this instrument is relatively brief and is organised around a standard legislative template:
(a) Enacting formula: The Order is made by the President, with the formal “Now therefore it is hereby ordered” language typical of presidential orders. It also includes the date and the signatory (the Secretary to the Cabinet, Singapore, by command).
(b) Recitals: The recitals set out the statutory background—namely, that the Law Revision Commissioners published the Acts in loose-leaf form as at a specified date, and that section 11(3) empowers the President to declare those loose-leaf editions as sole and only proper law.
(c) The Schedule: The Schedule is where the Acts covered by the Order are listed. Although the extract does not reproduce the Schedule content, the Schedule is essential because it defines the scope of which Acts are affected by the “sole and only proper law” declaration.
(d) The operative clause: The key legal effect is contained in the operative paragraph: the loose-leaf editions become the sole and only proper law with effect from 31 December 2004.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This Order applies to the Acts listed in its Schedule. Its effect is not limited to particular persons or sectors; rather, it affects the legal system’s authoritative sources for those Acts. In other words, it governs how the law is to be treated “in all courts and for all purposes” in Singapore.
Practically, it applies to everyone who relies on the text of those Acts: judges, lawyers, government agencies, regulated entities, and members of the public who may need to understand or comply with the law. The Order’s primary audience is the legal community, because it ensures that when a court interprets an Act, it is interpreting the correct authoritative version.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although this instrument is procedural in nature, it is highly important for legal certainty. Singapore’s legal practice depends on accurate and authoritative statutory texts. When multiple editions exist—such as earlier consolidated versions, reprints, or loose-leaf updates—there is a risk of confusion about which text is controlling. By declaring the loose-leaf edition as the “sole and only proper law,” the Order removes that risk for the Acts in its Schedule.
For practitioners, the Order has two main practical implications:
- Authoritative text verification: When preparing submissions, drafting pleadings, or advising clients, lawyers must ensure they cite the correct version of the Act. This Order provides a clear legal basis for treating the loose-leaf edition as authoritative from the effective date.
- Interpretation and reliance: Courts and parties rely on statutory wording. If the authoritative text changes at a known date, lawyers must assess whether the relevant provisions were in force and how they are to be read. The “sole and only proper law” declaration supports consistent interpretation across cases.
Finally, this Order illustrates how Singapore maintains its legislative corpus. The Revised Edition of the Laws Act provides a structured method for producing revised editions and then confirming their status through presidential orders. This ensures that the legal system remains accessible and reliable, while still allowing for periodic revision and updating.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular:
- Section 10 (publication of Acts in loose-leaf form by the Law Revision Commissioners)
- Section 11(3) (President’s power to declare the loose-leaf edition as 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.