Statute Details
- Title: Requisition of Resources (No. 4) Order 2025
- Act Code: RRA1985-S604-2025
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Requisition of Resources Act 1985
- Enacting Authority: Minister for Defence
- Key Enabling Provision: Powers conferred by section 2 of the Requisition of Resources Act 1985
- Order Citation: SL 604/2025
- Date Made: 19 August 2025
- Date of Requisition / Commencement of Part 3: 20 September 2025
- Duration / “Remain in operation”: Part 3 provisions are to “come into and remain in operation” from 20 September 2025 (until otherwise ended under the Act’s framework)
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
What Is This Legislation About?
The Requisition of Resources (No. 4) Order 2025 is a Singapore subsidiary instrument made under the Requisition of Resources Act 1985 (“the Act”). In plain terms, it is an administrative/legal “trigger” that activates the operation of Part 3 of the Act for a specified period beginning on a specified date.
Although the Order itself contains only two operative provisions—(i) its citation and (ii) the date when Part 3 of the Act comes into force—the legal effect is significant. Once Part 3 is activated, the statutory mechanisms in that Part become available to the authorities to requisition resources (that is, to require persons or entities to provide specified resources for public purposes, typically in circumstances connected to national security, emergencies, or other contingencies contemplated by the Act).
For practitioners, the key point is that this Order does not “requisition” resources directly by listing particular assets or targets. Instead, it activates the legal machinery in Part 3 of the Act from 20 September 2025, thereby enabling the relevant powers to be exercised in accordance with the Act’s procedures, safeguards, and consequences.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation). Section 1 provides the short title: the instrument is the Requisition of Resources (No. 4) Order 2025. This is standard drafting and primarily assists with identification and referencing.
Section 2 (Date of requisition / activation of Part 3). Section 2 is the operative provision. It states that “the provisions of Part 3 of the Act are to come into and remain in operation on 20 September 2025.” This language is crucial: it indicates that Part 3 is not merely temporarily “brought into effect” for a single day, but is intended to remain in operation from that date, subject to the overall legal framework of the Act (including any provisions governing duration, revocation, or continuation).
Enacting formula and authority. The Order is made “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Requisition of Resources Act 1985” by the Minister for Defence. The enacting formula signals that the Minister is acting within a delegated statutory power to determine when Part 3 should operate. The signature block indicates the Ministerial officer signing (Permanent Secretary (Defence Development), Ministry of Defence), consistent with Singapore’s practice of authorising signatories for ministerial instruments.
Practical legal consequence. Once Part 3 is operational, the authorities can proceed under Part 3’s requisition regime. While the extract provided does not reproduce Part 3’s substantive requirements (such as notice, forms of requisition, valuation/compensation, enforcement, and appeal/redress), the Order’s effect is to make those provisions legally available. In practice, lawyers should treat this Order as a condition precedent to the exercise of requisition powers under Part 3 after 20 September 2025.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a short subsidiary order with a minimal number of sections. It contains:
(1) Enacting formula. This sets out the legal basis (section 2 of the Act) and identifies the making authority (Minister for Defence).
(2) Section 1 (Citation). A standard short title provision.
(3) Section 2 (Date of requisition). The sole substantive provision, specifying the date when Part 3 of the Act comes into and remains in operation.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the “structure” is therefore not within the Order itself, but across the relationship between the Order and the Act. The Order functions as a switch that activates Part 3. The detailed operational rules—what “requisition” entails, who may be requisitioned, what procedures must be followed, and what remedies exist—are found in the Act’s Part 3, not in the Order’s text.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to the extent that it activates Part 3 of the Requisition of Resources Act 1985. While the Order does not name specific persons or categories, the activated Part 3 regime will apply to persons, organisations, and holders of “resources” that fall within the definitions and scope of the Act.
Accordingly, the practical “who” includes businesses and individuals who may possess or control relevant resources (for example, physical assets, services, supplies, or other items that the Act contemplates as requisitionable). It also includes the public authorities empowered under Part 3 to issue requisition directions and to enforce compliance. Lawyers advising clients should therefore consider both sides: (i) potential requisition targets and (ii) the government decision-makers and their procedural obligations once Part 3 is active.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though the Order is brief, it is legally consequential because it determines when the coercive requisition framework in Part 3 can be used. Requisition powers typically affect property rights, contractual arrangements, supply chains, and operational planning. For affected parties, the difference between Part 3 being inactive and active can be the difference between ordinary commercial risk and a statutory obligation to comply with government requisition directions.
From an enforcement and compliance standpoint, the Order provides a clear temporal anchor: 20 September 2025. If requisition actions are taken after that date, affected parties may need to assess whether the requisition authority complied with the procedural requirements in Part 3 (for example, whether proper notices were issued, whether the requisition was within scope, and whether any compensation mechanisms were triggered). Conversely, if actions were attempted before Part 3 was operational, affected parties may have grounds to challenge legality based on the absence of the statutory “activation” condition.
For practitioners, this Order also matters for risk management and litigation strategy. It can be relevant to: (i) advising on immediate compliance steps; (ii) evaluating whether administrative law or statutory interpretation arguments are available; (iii) assessing compensation entitlements; and (iv) determining whether contractual clauses (force majeure, frustration, allocation of risk, termination rights) need to be revisited in light of statutory requisition obligations.
Related Legislation
- Requisition of Resources Act 1985 (including, in particular, Part 3, which this Order activates)
- Requisition of Resources (No. 4) Order 2025 (SL 604/2025) — the activating instrument
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Requisition of Resources (No. 4) Order 2025 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.