Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 5) Order 2012
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation / statutory order (SL)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S474-2012
- SL Number: SL 474/2012
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Gazette / Publication Context: Order published in the Gazette pursuant to the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Key Legal Mechanism: Designation of a loose-leaf edition as the “sole and only proper law” for specified Acts
- Effective Date (as stated): 30 September 2012
- Date Made: 13 September 2012
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Primary Provision Highlighted in Title: Section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 5) Order 2012 is an administrative-but-legal instrument that affects how Singapore’s laws are treated in court. In plain terms, it is an order by the President that confirms that a particular “loose-leaf edition” of specified Acts—published by the Law Revision Commissioners—will be treated as the authoritative version of the law for all courts and all purposes.
This Order sits within Singapore’s broader legislative “revision” system. Under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, the Law Revision Commissioners periodically publish revised editions of Acts in loose-leaf form. Those loose-leaf editions are not merely for convenience; they are designed to become the official legal text. The President’s order under section 11(3) is the step that converts the loose-leaf edition into the sole and only proper law of Singapore for the Acts listed in the Schedule.
Practically, this Order is about legal certainty and uniformity. It reduces disputes about which version of an Act should be applied—especially where there may be multiple printings, amendments, or transitional materials. Once the President specifies the loose-leaf edition as the sole and only proper law, courts and legal practitioners are expected to rely on that edition as the authoritative text for the specified Acts.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory “whereas” framework (purpose and authority). The Order begins by setting out the legal background. It records 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 September 2012.” This is important: it ties the loose-leaf edition to a particular “as at” date, meaning the content reflects the law at that point in time.
2. The section 11(3) mechanism (President’s designation). The Order then explains the legal power being exercised. Section 11(3) provides that the Commissioners shall transmit to the President a copy of the loose-leaf edition of each of these Acts. The President may then, by order published in the Gazette, specify that the loose-leaf edition shall be the “sole and only proper law of Singapore” in respect of those Acts. The phrase “sole and only proper law” is the legal fulcrum: it signals that, for the listed Acts, the loose-leaf edition is the definitive legal text for court use.
3. The operative clause (effective date and legal effect). The operative part of the Order states that the loose-leaf edition of the Acts in the Schedule “shall, with effect from 30th September 2012, be the sole and only proper law of Singapore” in respect of those Acts. This means that from 30 September 2012, courts and practitioners should treat the loose-leaf edition as the authoritative version for all purposes. The effective date is therefore not merely administrative; it determines when the “proper law” designation takes effect.
4. Formalities: “Made” date and signatory. The Order records that it was made on 13 September 2012, and it is signed “By Command” by the Secretary to the Cabinet, Singapore (TAN KEE YONG). While these details may appear procedural, they are relevant for validating the instrument and confirming that it was properly made under the constitutional and statutory framework for orders of this kind.
Note on the Schedule. The extract provided references “the Acts set out in the Schedule,” but the Schedule itself is not included in the text you supplied. For a practitioner, the Schedule is crucial because it identifies the specific Acts for which the loose-leaf edition becomes the sole and only proper law. In practice, you would consult the full document (including the Schedule) to determine exactly which Acts are covered by this Order.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a short presidential order under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. It contains:
(a) An enacting formula that frames the legal authority and the conditions for the President’s action.
(b) A set of “whereas” recitals explaining that the Law Revision Commissioners have published the relevant Acts in loose-leaf form as at a specified date (1 September 2012), and that section 11(3) empowers the President to designate the loose-leaf edition as the sole and only proper law.
(c) A “THE SCHEDULE” (not shown in the extract) which lists the Acts covered by the Order.
(d) An operative clause specifying the effective date (30 September 2012) and the legal effect (“sole and only proper law”).
Because the Order is not a substantive regulatory statute (it does not create new offences, rights, or duties), its structure is focused on legal status and evidential certainty: it tells courts which text is authoritative.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
On its face, the Order does not “apply” to the public in the way that regulatory statutes do. Instead, it applies to courts and legal processes by determining what constitutes the proper law of Singapore for the specified Acts. The designation “in all courts and for all purposes” is directed at the judicial system and legal practitioners who must identify and apply the correct statutory text.
Accordingly, the Order affects:
- Judges and court officers who must apply the authoritative text of the Acts listed in the Schedule;
- Lawyers who must cite and rely on the correct version of the law;
- Government agencies and parties in litigation
that depend on accurate statutory interpretation. While individuals and businesses are indirectly affected—because the authoritative text governs their rights and obligations—the Order itself is a mechanism for legal publication and proof.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is brief, it plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of Singapore’s legal system. The “proper law” concept is central to legal certainty. If different versions of an Act were treated as authoritative in different contexts, it could lead to inconsistent outcomes, citation disputes, and litigation over textual accuracy. By designating a specific loose-leaf edition as the sole and only proper law, the Order helps eliminate ambiguity.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the Order is particularly relevant when:
- you are citing statutory provisions and need to ensure you are using the correct authoritative text as at the relevant time;
- you are dealing with amendments and transitional issues, where the “as in force” date matters;
- you are preparing submissions that require confidence that the court will treat your cited text as the proper law.
In addition, the Order demonstrates how Singapore manages the practical problem of keeping legislation current. Loose-leaf publication is a method of updating legal texts efficiently. The President’s order under section 11(3) ensures that the loose-leaf format is not merely a reference tool but becomes the official legal text for the Acts in question.
Finally, the effective date (30 September 2012) is a key litigation consideration. If a dispute spans periods before and after that date, counsel may need to consider which version of the Act was the proper law at the relevant time. Even where the substantive law may be similar, the proper-law designation can affect how courts approach the authoritative text.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular section 10 (publication of Acts in loose-leaf form) and section 11(3) (President’s power to designate the loose-leaf edition as the sole and only proper law).
- Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) Orders (other numbered orders) — similar instruments that designate loose-leaf editions for different sets of Acts.
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 5) Order 2012 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.