Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 3) Order 2012
- Act Code: RELA1983-S355-2012
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Status: Current version (as at 27 Mar 2026)
- Enacting Instrument: Order made by the President
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Key Legal Mechanism: “Sole and only proper law” designation for revised loose-leaf editions
- Gazette/Publication Basis: Order published in the Gazette
- Effective Date (from text): 31 July 2012
- Date Made: 16 July 2012
- Document Identifier (from text): SL 355/2012
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 3) Order 2012 is a procedural “law revision” instrument. It does not create new substantive rights or offences by itself. Instead, it performs an important legal housekeeping function: it confirms that a particular set of revised laws—published by the Law Revision Commissioners in loose-leaf form—will be treated as the sole and only proper law of Singapore for specified Acts.
In plain terms, the Order resolves a common problem in legal practice: when laws are updated and reissued in revised editions, courts and lawyers need to know which version counts as the authoritative text. This Order answers that question by giving legal effect to the loose-leaf revised edition for the Acts listed in its Schedule. Once effective, the revised loose-leaf edition becomes the definitive legal text “in all courts and for all purposes” for those Acts.
The Order is grounded in section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275). That provision empowers the President, after receiving the Commissioners’ transmissions, to issue an order in the Gazette specifying that the loose-leaf edition of the relevant Acts shall be the sole and only proper law. The Order therefore sits within Singapore’s broader legislative revision framework, ensuring continuity, certainty, and uniformity in the application of the law.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory “whereas” framework (authority and purpose). The enacting formula explains the legal steps that precede the President’s order. First, 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 1 July 2012. Second, it notes that section 11(3) requires the Commissioners to transmit to the President a copy of the loose-leaf edition of each Act. Third, it explains the President’s power to designate the loose-leaf edition as the sole and only proper law by an order published in the Gazette.
2. The core operative clause: “sole and only proper law”. The heart of the Order is the declaration that the loose-leaf edition of the Acts in the Schedule shall, with effect from 31 July 2012, be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts. This phrase is legally significant. It means that, for the specified Acts, the revised loose-leaf text is treated as the authoritative legal version for all legal proceedings and purposes. Practically, it reduces disputes about which compilation or printing is correct, and it supports consistent citation and interpretation.
3. Effective date and temporal certainty. The Order specifies that the designation takes effect from 31 July 2012. For practitioners, the effective date matters because it determines when the revised loose-leaf edition becomes the controlling legal text. If a case involves events spanning before and after that date, counsel may need to consider which version of the law applied at the relevant time, and whether any transitional provisions exist within the Acts themselves. While the Order is about “proper law” status, it still has a temporal boundary that affects how lawyers should cite and rely on the text.
4. Formalities: made by the President, signed through Cabinet authority. The Order records that it is made by the President, with the signature of the Secretary to the Cabinet (TAN KEE YONG) “By Command”. This reflects Singapore’s constitutional and administrative practice for orders made by the President. Although this is not a substantive legal requirement for litigants, it is relevant for legal validity and for understanding the instrument’s place in the legislative hierarchy.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a short Presidential order with an enacting formula and a schedule. The extract provided shows that the Order contains:
(a) Enacting formula / recitals: “Whereas” clauses describing the Commissioners’ publication under section 10, the transmission to the President under section 11(3), and the President’s power to designate the loose-leaf edition as the sole and only proper law.
(b) Operative part: The declaration that the loose-leaf edition of the Acts in the Schedule shall be the sole and only proper law with effect from 31 July 2012.
(c) The Schedule: The Schedule is where the specific Acts are listed. Although the extract does not reproduce the Schedule contents, it is central to the Order’s scope. In practice, a lawyer must consult the Schedule to identify exactly which Acts are covered by the “sole and only proper law” designation.
(d) Date and signature block: “Made this 16th day of July 2012” and the signature/command line.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to the legal system as a whole—courts, tribunals, and legal practitioners—because it determines what counts as the authoritative “proper law” for the Acts listed in the Schedule. It does not target a particular class of persons (such as employers, employees, or regulated industries). Instead, it targets the textual authority of legislation.
Accordingly, its practical effect is felt by everyone who relies on those Acts: litigants, counsel, judges, government agencies, and anyone interpreting statutory provisions. For lawyers, the key point is that once the Order takes effect, the revised loose-leaf edition becomes the controlling reference for those Acts “in all courts and for all purposes”.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is brief, it is important for legal certainty and for the integrity of legal research. Singapore’s legal system relies on accurate and authoritative statutory texts. When laws are revised and reissued, there is a risk that outdated compilations may be cited or relied upon. The “sole and only proper law” designation eliminates ambiguity by establishing a single authoritative version for the specified Acts.
For practitioners, this has several concrete implications:
- Citation accuracy: When drafting pleadings, preparing submissions, or writing legal opinions, counsel must cite the correct statutory text. The Order supports that by making the revised loose-leaf edition the proper law for the covered Acts.
- Research reliability: Legal research platforms and printed compilations may lag or differ. Knowing that an Order designates a particular revised edition as the sole proper law helps lawyers confirm that they are reading the authoritative version.
- Consistency in interpretation: Courts interpret the law based on the authoritative text. The Order reduces the likelihood of interpretive divergence caused by version discrepancies.
- Administrative and compliance certainty: Government agencies and regulated entities often rely on statutory text for compliance. A clear “proper law” designation supports consistent compliance frameworks.
From an enforcement perspective, the Order does not itself impose obligations or penalties. However, by determining the authoritative text, it indirectly affects enforcement outcomes. If a statutory provision is renumbered, recompiled, or otherwise presented differently in a revised edition, the “proper law” designation ensures that courts and agencies apply the correct version. In short, the Order is a foundational instrument for the accuracy of the legal system’s statutory base.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular, sections 10 and 11(3) (the enabling provisions referenced in the Order)
- Other “Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) … Orders” — similar orders that designate revised loose-leaf editions for different sets of Acts (to be identified via the legislation timeline)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 3) Order 2012 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.