Statute Details
- Title: Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006
- Act Code: IPA2017-S41-2006
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256)
- Enacting Formula: Made by the Minister for Home Affairs under section 5(1) of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act
- Citation: Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006
- Commencement: 25 January 2006
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (citation and commencement); Section 2 (declaration of premises as “protected places” and access restrictions)
- Schedule: Identifies the specific premises; pairs each premises with the authority that issues the relevant pass-card or permit
- Latest Status (as provided): Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Amendment Noted in Timeline: Amended by S 742/2015 (as shown in the provided extract)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006 is a Singapore subsidiary instrument made under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256). Its central function is administrative and protective: it designates particular premises as “protected places” for the purposes of the Act. Once premises are declared protected, access is tightly controlled to safeguard sensitive locations and maintain security.
In plain language, the Order creates a legal rule that certain premises cannot be entered freely by the public. Instead, entry is limited to persons who hold the appropriate authorisation—typically a pass-card or permit issued by a specified authority—or who have received permission from an authorised officer on duty at the premises.
Although the extract provided contains only the enacting formula, the two operative sections, and the reference to a Schedule, the legal effect is significant. The Schedule is the practical “map” of the protected sites: it describes the premises and identifies the authority responsible for issuing the access credentials. The Order therefore operates as a targeted access-control measure rather than a broad regulatory framework.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1: Citation and commencement. Section 1 provides the formal citation of the instrument and states when it comes into force. The Order “may be cited as the Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006” and “shall come into operation on 25th January 2006.” For practitioners, this matters for determining whether conduct occurred after the legal designation took effect, and therefore whether the access restrictions were in force at the relevant time.
Section 2: Premises declared to be protected places. Section 2 is the operative provision. It declares that “the premises described in the second column of the Schedule are hereby declared to be protected places for the purposes of the Act.” This declaration is the legal trigger for the access restrictions that follow.
Section 2 then sets out the core restriction: “no person shall be in those premises unless” they satisfy one of two conditions. First, the person must be “in possession of a pass-card or permit issued by the authority specified in the first column of the Schedule.” Second, alternatively, the person must have “received the permission of an authorised officer on duty at the premises to enter the premises.”
Legal significance of the two pathways to lawful entry. The structure of Section 2 is important. It creates two distinct lawful routes: (1) possession of the correct credential issued by the specified authority; or (2) permission granted by an authorised officer on duty. From a compliance and litigation perspective, this means that a person without the credential may still lawfully enter if they obtain permission from the authorised officer. Conversely, possession of a credential is not merely a “courtesy”—it is a statutory condition for being in the premises, subject to the credential being issued by the correct authority as specified in the Schedule.
Role of the Schedule. The extract indicates that the Schedule has at least two columns: the first column identifies the authority that issues the relevant pass-card or permit, and the second column describes the premises. Even though the premises list is not reproduced in the extract, the legal drafting makes clear that the Schedule is integral. The authority specified in the first column determines which credentials are valid for entry. Therefore, practitioners should treat the Schedule as essential evidence when assessing whether a person’s authorisation was valid for the particular premises.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a straightforward, two-section format plus a Schedule.
Enacting Formula. The instrument begins with the enacting formula stating that the Minister for Home Affairs makes the Order under section 5(1) of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act. This confirms the statutory power and the responsible minister.
Section 1. Contains citation and commencement.
Section 2. Contains the substantive designation and access restriction. It declares protected places and sets the conditions under which persons may be present.
The Schedule. Provides the detailed list of premises and the corresponding authority responsible for issuing pass-cards or permits. In practice, the Schedule is where the “protected places” are identified with specificity.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to “no person” being in the declared premises, which is broad and includes members of the public, employees, contractors, visitors, and any other individuals who might enter the premises. The prohibition is not limited by citizenship, employment status, or purpose of entry; rather, it is tied to whether the person satisfies the statutory conditions.
In addition, the Order implicitly affects operational decision-making by authorised officers. It requires that permission to enter be granted by “an authorised officer on duty at the premises.” This means that, for lawful entry under the second pathway, the permission must be given by the correct category of officer and at the relevant time (i.e., while the officer is on duty). Practitioners should therefore consider the evidential requirements for proving that permission was properly granted.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Protected places designations are a key component of Singapore’s security framework under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act. The Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006 is one of the instruments that operationalises that framework by identifying specific premises that require heightened access control. For lawyers, the importance lies in how quickly the legal consequences can attach to conduct: being present in a protected place without the required credential or permission can trigger liability under the parent Act.
From a compliance standpoint, the Order is also practically significant for organisations that operate within or interact with protected premises. Employers, contractors, and service providers need to ensure that staff and visitors are properly credentialed or that entry permissions are arranged through the appropriate channels. Because Section 2 ties credential validity to the “authority specified in the first column of the Schedule,” organisations must verify that the pass-card or permit is issued by the correct authority for the specific premises.
For enforcement and dispute resolution, the Order’s drafting creates clear factual questions: (1) whether the premises were declared protected at the relevant time; (2) whether the person was in possession of the correct pass-card or permit; (3) if not, whether permission was granted by an authorised officer on duty. These are relatively concrete issues that can be addressed through documentary evidence (credentials, permits, authorisation records) and witness evidence (officer testimony regarding permission).
Finally, the timeline information provided indicates that the instrument has a “current version” status as at 27 Mar 2026 and was amended by S 742/2015. For practitioners, this underscores the need to consult the correct version when advising on historical conduct or when assessing whether a particular premises designation or authority mapping changed over time.
Related Legislation
- Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256)
- Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006 (as amended, including reference to S 742/2015 in the provided timeline)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.