Statute Details
- Title: Requisition of Resources (No. 7) Order 2019
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Act Code: RRA1985-S752-2019
- Authorising Act: Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273)
- Enacting Authority: Minister for Defence
- Enacting Formula (Key Power): Powers conferred by section 2 of the Requisition of Resources Act
- SL Citation: No. S 752
- Publication/Date in Force (as shown in extract): 15 November 2019 (SL 752/2019)
- Date Made: 14 October 2019
- Signed By: Joseph Leong Weng Keong, Permanent Secretary (Defence Development), Ministry of Defence
- Key Operative Provision: Brings Part III of the Act into operation on 16 November 2019 and keeps it in operation thereafter (until further order/cessation under the Act)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Requisition of Resources (No. 7) Order 2019 is a short but legally significant instrument. In substance, it activates a specific portion of the Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273)—namely, Part III—for a defined start date. The Order does not itself create a new substantive regime; rather, it turns on the operation of existing statutory powers contained in the Act.
In plain language, the legislation is about enabling the Government, through the Defence portfolio, to prepare for and respond to circumstances where resources may need to be requisitioned. Requisitioning is a coercive power: it allows the State to take control of resources (such as goods, services, or other relevant assets) for public purposes, typically in emergencies or periods of heightened national need. The Act provides the legal framework; the Order determines when that framework’s relevant part becomes operative.
Because this is an “(No. 7)” order, it forms part of a series of similar orders that sequentially or periodically bring parts of the Act into operation. Practitioners should therefore read this Order together with the Requisition of Resources Act and the legislation timeline to confirm which version is current and whether Part III is already operating under earlier or later orders.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation) provides the formal name of the instrument: “Requisition of Resources (No. 7) Order 2019.” This is standard drafting, but it matters for legal citation and for locating the correct instrument in databases and official publications.
Section 2 (Date of requisition) is the operative provision. It states that: “The provisions of Part III of the Act are to come into and remain in operation on 16 November 2019.” The phrase “come into and remain in operation” indicates that Part III is not merely activated for a single day; it is intended to be continuously effective from the specified date, subject to any later legal changes (for example, subsequent orders, amendments, or provisions within the Act governing termination).
Although the extract does not reproduce the text of Part III itself, the legal effect of Section 2 is clear: once Part III is in operation, the powers, procedures, obligations, and enforcement mechanisms contained in Part III become available to the relevant authorities under the Act. In practice, this means that any requisition-related processes contemplated by Part III—such as the ability to issue requisition notices, direct the use of resources, and impose duties on affected persons—can be lawfully carried out from 16 November 2019.
Enacting Formula (Section 2 of the Act) is also important for practitioners. The Order is made “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Requisition of Resources Act.” This signals that the Act itself delegates to the Minister for Defence the authority to determine when Part III should be brought into operation. From a legal standpoint, this is a delegation of legislative power within the framework of the parent Act. Accordingly, challenges to the Order would likely focus on whether the statutory preconditions for activation were met (if any are implied or expressly stated in section 2 of the Act), whether the correct authority made the Order, and whether the Order was properly published and effective.
Finally, the extract includes administrative details: the Order was “Made on 14 October 2019” and signed by a Permanent Secretary (Defence Development). The legal significance is that the instrument is formally executed by the authorised signatory on behalf of the Minister for Defence, consistent with Singapore’s legislative practice for subsidiary legislation.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Order is structured in a conventional, minimal form typical of activation orders. It contains:
(1) A citation provision (Section 1), identifying the instrument; and (2) an operative activation provision (Section 2), specifying the date on which Part III of the parent Act comes into force and remains in force.
There are no “Parts” or detailed substantive sections within the Order itself. Instead, the substantive legal content is located in the Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273), particularly Part III. Therefore, a practitioner should treat this Order as a “switch” that activates the relevant statutory machinery already drafted in the Act.
Because the Order is labelled “(No. 7),” it is also best understood as part of a continuing legislative and administrative sequence. The structure of the overall legal framework is thus: Act (substantive powers) + Orders (activation timing). For legal research, the most useful approach is to identify all related “Requisition of Resources (No. X) Orders” and confirm which one is operative at the relevant time.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order itself is addressed to the legal effect of bringing Part III of the Act into operation; it does not list categories of persons. However, once Part III is in operation, the Act’s requisition powers typically apply to persons who control or are able to provide the relevant resources—for example, owners, operators, suppliers, or other stakeholders whose resources may be requisitioned for public purposes.
In practical terms, the affected population is likely to include businesses and individuals in sectors relevant to national readiness and resource mobilisation. The exact scope depends on how Part III defines “resources” and the mechanisms for requisition. Accordingly, lawyers should not rely solely on the Order’s brevity; they should consult the definitions and operative provisions within Part III to determine:
- what qualifies as a “resource” under the Act;
- who may be directed or compelled;
- what procedural steps must be followed; and
- what rights of objection, review, or compensation exist (if any) under Part III.
As to territorial and temporal scope, the Order specifies a start date (16 November 2019) and indicates that Part III remains in operation from that date. The geographic scope would be governed by the Act’s general provisions and Singapore’s legislative reach, but the activation timing is clearly within Singapore’s legal system.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though the Requisition of Resources (No. 7) Order 2019 is brief, it is important because it determines whether the State can lawfully exercise the coercive requisition powers in Part III of the Act. For practitioners, the key point is that the legality of requisition actions depends on the operative status of the relevant Part. If Part III is not in operation, any purported requisition under that Part could be challenged as ultra vires or procedurally defective.
From an enforcement and compliance perspective, activation orders like this one have direct operational consequences. Once Part III is in operation, affected entities may be subject to directions, requisition notices, or other statutory obligations. Lawyers advising businesses should therefore treat such orders as triggers for internal readiness: reviewing contractual arrangements, identifying relevant assets and capabilities, and ensuring that compliance processes can respond quickly to government directions.
From a litigation and risk-management standpoint, the Order also matters for evidential and procedural reasons. In disputes—whether about the validity of a requisition, the scope of resources taken, or compensation—parties may need to prove that Part III was indeed in operation at the relevant time. The Order provides the documentary basis for that proposition, including the date Part III came into operation.
Finally, this Order illustrates the broader legislative technique used in Singapore for emergency or readiness-related powers: the parent Act sets out the legal framework, while subsidiary orders determine when specific parts become active. This approach allows the Government to calibrate legal powers to changing circumstances, while keeping the substantive law in place for rapid activation.
Related Legislation
- Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273) (including, in particular, Part III and section 2 which authorises activation by order)
- Requisition of Resources Orders (e.g., “(No. 7)” and other numbered orders) that may activate the same or different parts at different times
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Requisition of Resources (No. 7) Order 2019 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.