Statute Details
- Title: Requisition of Resources (Service of Notice of Requisition) Regulations
- Act Code: RRA1985-RG2
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273)
- Authorising Provisions: Sections 12, 41 and 48 of the Resources Act
- Citation: Rg 2 (Requisition of Resources (Service of Notice of Requisition) Regulations)
- Gazette / Citation Reference: G.N. No. S 349/1989
- Revised Edition: 1990 RevEd (25th March 1992)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key Provisions (from extract): Regulations 2–5 (definitions; code & mobilisation centre; service by broadcast/pager; delivery of chattels)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Requisition of Resources (Service of Notice of Requisition) Regulations (“the Regulations”) are subsidiary legislation made under the Requisition of Resources Act (Cap. 273). In plain terms, they set out how certain notices of requisition can be served on owners and custodians of “chattels” (broadly, tangible items such as equipment, vehicles, vessels, and aircraft) when the State needs to secure resources quickly—typically in emergencies or other circumstances contemplated by the Act.
While the Requisition of Resources Act provides the substantive framework for requisitioning resources, the Regulations focus on operational and procedural mechanics. They address (i) how the competent authority assigns codes and equipment marshalling areas to specific chattels, (ii) how notices (or relevant information) may be communicated to affected persons via broadcast over radio/television or radio-communications pagers, and (iii) what owners and custodians must do immediately after receiving such communications.
A key feature is that the Regulations contemplate service that does not rely solely on traditional personal service or written notice. Instead, they allow the competent authority to disseminate codes and instructions publicly or semi-publicly, and then require immediate delivery of the relevant chattel to a designated marshalling location. This is designed to reduce delay and ensure rapid mobilisation of resources.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Regulation 2 (Definitions) is foundational. It defines terms used throughout the Regulations, including:
- “authorised officer”: the person appointed by the competent authority under section 12(6) of the Act to receive chattels furnished pursuant to a notice of requisition.
- “chattel”: includes any substance, machine, equipment, vehicle, vessel or aircraft, but expressly excludes currency, gold securities, or negotiable instruments. This exclusion is important for practitioners because it narrows the category of items that can be requisitioned under this regulatory mechanism.
- “competent authority”: the competent authority appointed under section 4 of the Act.
- “equipment marshalling area”: a place appointed by the competent authority where a chattel must be delivered upon a notice of requisition.
Regulation 3 (Assignment of code and mobilisation centre) provides the mechanism for linking a specific chattel to a communication and a delivery location. The competent authority may, by letter served in accordance with the regulation, assign to an owner or a person having possession, control or custody of a chattel:
- any code or codes expressed in words, figures or symbols; and
- an equipment marshalling area for that chattel.
Practically, this means that the authority can create a “mapping” between (a) what the affected person will later hear/see (the code) and (b) where the chattel must be delivered (the marshalling area). The regulation also allows the competent authority to vary or revoke any assigned code or marshalling area by further letter served in the same manner.
The regulation is also specific about how the letter is served:
- For an individual, service may be effected by personal delivery or by registered post to the person’s usual or last known place of residence or business.
- For a firm, company or corporation, service may be effected by personal delivery to a relevant officer (partner, director, manager or secretary) or by registered post to the firm/company/corporation’s principal place of business or registered office.
Regulation 4 (Service by broadcast over radio or television and radio-communications pager) addresses the “notice” delivery method when the Act permits service in those forms. It provides two distinct communication channels:
- Broadcast over radio and television: where a notice of requisition is served under section 41(3)(a) of the Act, the notice may be served by broadcasting any code(s) in words, figures or symbols as determined by the competent authority.
- Transmission over a radio-communications pager: where a notice of requisition is served under section 41(3)(e) of the Act, the notice may be served by transmitting code(s) via a radio-communications pager as determined by the competent authority.
For practitioners, the operational significance is that the “service” is effected through dissemination of codes, not necessarily through a conventional written notice addressed to a named person. The legal effect hinges on the Act’s enabling provisions (section 41(3)(a) and (e)) and the Regulations’ specification of the communication method.
Regulation 5 (Chattel to be furnished at mobilisation centre) sets out the immediate compliance obligations. It applies to every owner and every person with possession, custody or control of a chattel that has been assigned codes under regulation 3 and those codes are subsequently broadcast or transmitted.
Under regulation 5(1), once the owner/custodian hears or sees the broadcast or transmission, they must immediately furnish the chattel to which the code relates (or codes relate) to the authorised officer at the equipment marshalling area assigned under regulation 3.
Regulation 5(2) introduces an important timing nuance: where the broadcast or transmission states a time for reporting, the owner/custodian must furnish the chattel at the stated time rather than “immediately” upon hearing/seeing. This provision reduces ambiguity and allows the authority to manage logistics and prioritisation.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are short and procedural. Based on the extract and the listed provisions, the structure is as follows:
- Regulation 1 (Citation): provides the short title.
- Regulation 2 (Definitions): defines key terms such as “authorised officer”, “chattel”, “competent authority”, and “equipment marshalling area”.
- Regulation 3 (Assignment of code and mobilisation centre): authorises the competent authority to assign codes and marshalling areas by letter, and to vary or revoke them.
- Regulation 4 (Service by broadcast and pager): specifies how notices may be served via radio/television broadcast or radio-communications pager transmission.
- Regulation 5 (Chattel to be furnished at mobilisation centre): imposes the duty to deliver the relevant chattel to the authorised officer at the assigned marshalling area, with timing rules depending on whether a reporting time is stated.
Although the extract does not show further parts, the overall design is consistent with subsidiary legislation that operationalises a parent Act: it provides the “how” for service and compliance, while the parent Act governs the broader requisition powers, compensation (if any), and enforcement framework.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply primarily to owners and to persons who have possession, custody or control of a chattel that has been assigned codes under regulation 3. This includes not only titled owners but also operational custodians—such as companies operating equipment, entities controlling vehicles or vessels, and other parties responsible for the physical item.
Because regulation 3 permits assignment to “any person having the possession, control or custody of the chattel,” the practical reach is broad. For example, even if an owner is not directly involved in day-to-day operations, the party controlling the asset at the time of requisition communications may be the one legally required to deliver the chattel upon receiving the broadcast or pager transmission.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
These Regulations are important because they enable rapid mobilisation of resources by allowing service through mass communication channels. In emergency or contingency planning, delays in locating and serving individuals with written notices can be operationally unacceptable. By permitting service via broadcast and pager transmission, the Regulations create a mechanism for immediate, scalable communication.
From a legal practitioner’s perspective, the Regulations also raise practical compliance and evidentiary issues. The legal duty in regulation 5 is triggered by the owner/custodian “hearing or seeing” the broadcast or “hearing” the transmission (as applicable). This means that, in disputes, parties may need to consider what was broadcast, when it was broadcast, whether the relevant code was included, and whether a reporting time was stated. The Regulations therefore interact with the parent Act’s requisition framework and any subsequent enforcement or compensation questions.
Additionally, the exclusion of currency, gold securities, and negotiable instruments from the definition of “chattel” is a critical boundary. Counsel advising clients on whether their assets fall within the requisition regime should focus on the definition and the nature of the item. Similarly, the requirement to deliver to a designated equipment marshalling area and to an authorised officer underscores that compliance is not merely “making the asset available,” but delivering it to the correct receiving point.
Related Legislation
- Requisition of Resources Act (Cap. 273) — particularly sections 12, 41 and 48 (as the authorising provisions for the Regulations and the enabling provisions for service methods).
- Requisition of Resources (Timeline) — referenced in the legislation interface as “Timeline” (useful for confirming the correct version as at a given date).
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Requisition of Resources (Service of Notice of Requisition) Regulations for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.