Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Order under section 11(3)) Order 2011
- Act Code: RELA1983-S675-2011
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation / Order (sl)
- Enacting Instrument: Order made by the President
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275)
- Key Legal Basis: Section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Gazette/Order Number: No. S 675
- Date Made: 9 December 2011
- Commencement (Effect): 31 December 2011
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Schedule: Acts set out in the Schedule (loose-leaf editions published by the Law Revision Commissioners)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Order under section 11(3)) Order 2011 is a formal legal instrument that gives authoritative legal status to a set of revised laws published in loose-leaf form. In practical terms, it determines which version of specified Acts is to be treated as the “sole and only proper law” of Singapore for those Acts in all courts and for all purposes.
This Order sits within Singapore’s broader law revision framework under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The Law Revision Commissioners publish revised editions of Acts in loose-leaf form to consolidate, update, and present legislation in a usable format. However, for the revised loose-leaf editions to become the definitive legal text for litigation and official use, the President must make an order under section 11(3) of the Act.
Accordingly, the Order is not a substantive reform of policy or rights. Instead, it is a “versioning” mechanism: it confirms that the loose-leaf editions of the Acts listed in the Schedule (as in force on 1 December 2011) are the authoritative texts that courts and practitioners must rely on.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Recognition of the loose-leaf revised editions published by the Law Revision Commissioners. The Order’s recitals explain the legal process. It states that, pursuant to section 10 of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, the Law Revision Commissioners have published in loose-leaf form the Acts set out in the Schedule “as in force on 1st December 2011.” This matters because it anchors the content of the revised editions to a specific “as at” date.
2. The President’s power to designate the revised loose-leaf editions as sole proper law. The Order relies on section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. Under that provision, the Commissioners transmit to the President a copy of the loose-leaf edition of each Act. The President may then, by order published in the Gazette, specify that those loose-leaf editions shall be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts.
3. The operative designation: “sole and only proper law” from a specified effective date. The operative clause provides that the loose-leaf editions of the Acts in the Schedule shall, with effect from 31 December 2011, be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts. This is the central legal effect of the Order.
4. Formalities: date made and authentication. The Order records that it was made on 9 December 2011 and is signed “By Command” by the Secretary to the Cabinet (TAN KEE YONG). While these are procedural details, they confirm the instrument’s validity and the formal authority under which it was issued.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Order is structured in a relatively simple manner, reflecting its administrative and legal-versioning purpose.
First, it contains an enacting formula and recitals (“Whereas” clauses) that set out the statutory background: the Law Revision Commissioners’ publication under section 10, and the President’s power under section 11(3).
Second, it contains the operative provision that designates the loose-leaf editions as the sole and only proper law from the effective date (31 December 2011).
Third, it includes a Schedule. The Schedule is crucial because it lists the specific Acts whose loose-leaf editions are being designated. Although the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule’s contents, practitioners should treat the Schedule as determinative of which Acts are covered by the Order.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to the Acts listed in its Schedule. Its effect is directed at the legal system: it governs what is to be treated as the authoritative legal text of those Acts “in all courts and for all purposes.”
In terms of persons and institutions, the practical beneficiaries are courts, legal practitioners, government agencies, and the public who rely on the official text of legislation. The Order does not impose direct obligations on individuals in the way a regulatory statute would. Instead, it ensures that when lawyers plead, argue, interpret, and cite the covered Acts, they do so using the designated revised loose-leaf editions as the definitive “proper law.”
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is brief, it is legally significant because it affects the authoritative source text of legislation. In litigation, the precise legal text matters. Even small differences between versions can affect statutory interpretation, the availability of defences, procedural requirements, and the scope of powers. By designating the loose-leaf editions as the “sole and only proper law,” the Order reduces uncertainty about which version of an Act should be treated as controlling.
For practitioners, this Order is a reminder that citations and reliance on statutory text must be version-aware. When preparing submissions, drafting pleadings, or advising clients, lawyers must ensure that the statutory provisions being relied upon correspond to the proper legal text in force. The Order’s effect date (31 December 2011) is therefore relevant when determining which consolidated/revised text is authoritative for the covered Acts.
From an enforcement and administration perspective, the Order supports the integrity of the legal system by ensuring that courts and public authorities operate from a consistent, officially designated legislative text. It also streamlines legal research: once the President designates the loose-leaf edition as sole proper law, practitioners can treat that edition as the definitive reference point for the covered Acts, subject to later amendments and subsequent revision orders.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275) — in particular sections 10 and 11(3) governing publication of loose-leaf editions and designation of “sole and only proper law”.
- Subsequent Revised Edition Orders (if any) — later orders may designate later revised editions as sole proper law for other Acts or for updated versions of the same Acts.
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Order under section 11(3)) Order 2011 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.