Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 9) Order 2014
- Act Code: RELA1983-S764-2014
- Type: Statutory Instrument (Order)
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Legislative Instrument No.: S 764
- Instrument Date / Made on: 10 November 2014
- Gazette Publication Mechanism: Order published in the Gazette
- Effective Date (Key Legal Effect): 30 November 2014
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Schedule: Acts set out in the Schedule (not reproduced in the extract)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 9) Order 2014 is a procedural but legally significant instrument. In plain terms, it confirms that a particular “loose-leaf edition” of specified Acts—published by the Law Revision Commissioners—will become the sole and only proper law of Singapore for those Acts, for use in all courts and for all legal purposes.
This Order is made under section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275). The Revised Edition of the Laws Act provides a mechanism for law revision and consolidation: the Law Revision Commissioners publish updated versions of Acts in loose-leaf form, and then the President may, by Gazette order, designate those loose-leaf editions as the authoritative legal text.
Although the extract does not list the Acts in the Schedule, the legal effect is clear: once the Order takes effect, the loose-leaf edition specified in the Schedule is treated as the definitive version of the law. For practitioners, this matters because it affects what text is “proper law” when advising clients, drafting pleadings, interpreting statutory provisions, and arguing cases in court.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Statutory basis: section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
The Order is grounded in the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The recitals state 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 November 2014. The Order then relies on section 11(3), which contemplates that the Commissioners transmit copies of the loose-leaf editions to the President, and the President may specify—by Gazette order—that the loose-leaf editions shall be the sole and only proper law.
In practice, this means the President’s order is the final “conversion step” that elevates the loose-leaf publication into the authoritative legal text for judicial and administrative use.
2. Designation of the loose-leaf edition as “sole and only proper law”
The operative legal statement is that the loose-leaf edition of the Acts in the Schedule shall, with effect from 30 November 2014, be “the sole and only proper law of Singapore” in respect of those Acts. This phrase is not merely descriptive; it is intended to eliminate ambiguity about which version of the law is to be treated as authoritative.
For lawyers, the practical consequence is that when you cite statutory provisions from the Acts covered by the Schedule, you should rely on the version that corresponds to the loose-leaf edition designated by this Order. If there are multiple versions floating in practice (e.g., earlier revised editions, amendments, or unofficial compilations), the “sole and only proper law” designation is the legal anchor.
3. Scope: “in all courts and for all purposes”
The recitals (and the mechanism described) indicate that the President’s order is meant to apply broadly: the loose-leaf edition becomes the proper law “in all courts and for all purposes.” This is important because it covers not only litigation but also administrative decision-making, statutory interpretation in tribunals, and any context where the law must be applied.
Accordingly, practitioners should treat the designated loose-leaf edition as the governing text for statutory interpretation exercises, including determining the exact wording of provisions, definitions, and schedules as they stand on the relevant “as in force” date (here, 1 November 2014), subject to later amendments.
4. Procedural formality and commencement effect
The Order is “made on 10 November 2014” and takes effect on 30 November 2014. While the instrument is short in the extract, the effective date is the critical point for determining which version is authoritative at a given time. If a dispute arises about the law as it applied before or after 30 November 2014, counsel may need to consider the relevant version of the Acts at those times.
In addition, the Order is signed by the Secretary to the Cabinet on behalf of the President (“By Command, TAN KEE YONG, Secretary to the Cabinet, Singapore.”). This underscores that the designation is a formal presidential act pursuant to the statutory scheme.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a short statutory order with an enacting formula and a Schedule. The Schedule is the key component because it identifies the specific Acts whose loose-leaf editions are being designated as the sole and only proper law.
In the extract, the Schedule content is not shown. However, the structure is typical of revised edition orders: the Order contains (i) recitals explaining the legal pathway under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, (ii) the operative clause specifying the effective date and the legal effect (“sole and only proper law”), and (iii) the Schedule listing the Acts covered.
For legal research, the Schedule is therefore essential. A practitioner should consult the full document to confirm which Acts are included in this “(No. 9)” order. The “No. 9” numbering indicates that multiple such orders may be issued for different sets of Acts, each corresponding to different loose-leaf publications.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This Order applies to everyone who must apply the law of Singapore for the Acts listed in the Schedule. That includes courts, tribunals, government agencies, statutory boards, and private parties who rely on statutory rights and obligations.
However, the Order does not create new substantive legal rights or offences by itself. Instead, it governs which text is the authoritative legal version of the specified Acts. Therefore, its “audience” is broad, but its effect is primarily on legal research, citation, and the authoritative interpretation of statutory provisions.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
1. It determines the authoritative legal text
In legal practice, the most common risk is not that the law is unknown, but that counsel cites or relies on the wrong version. Revised edition orders like this one are designed to prevent such uncertainty. By declaring the loose-leaf edition as the “sole and only proper law,” the Order reduces the risk of conflicting interpretations arising from different compilations or outdated printings.
For litigators, this matters when drafting pleadings and submissions. For transactional lawyers, it matters when interpreting statutory requirements embedded in contracts, compliance frameworks, licensing regimes, and regulatory obligations.
2. It supports consistency across courts and administrative bodies
The phrase “in all courts and for all purposes” signals that the designation is intended to be uniform across the legal system. This promotes consistency in statutory interpretation and ensures that agencies and courts are working from the same authoritative text.
In practice, this can affect how counsel approaches statutory interpretation arguments. For example, if a provision was amended after 1 November 2014, the loose-leaf edition designated by this Order may no longer reflect the current law. Conversely, if amendments have not been made, the revised edition may be the correct baseline for interpretation.
3. It affects legal research workflow and citation practice
Practitioners should treat revised edition orders as part of the “infrastructure” of legal research. When using online databases or printed compilations, lawyers should verify whether the version they are consulting corresponds to the “proper law” designation and whether subsequent amendments have altered the provisions.
Because the Order takes effect on 30 November 2014, lawyers should also consider temporal issues. If a matter concerns events occurring before that date, counsel may need to identify the version of the Acts in force at that time. If the matter concerns events after that date, the loose-leaf edition designated by this Order is the starting point, subject to later amendments.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular sections 10 and 11(3), which provide the mechanism for loose-leaf publication and presidential designation of the “sole and only proper law”.
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 9) Order 2014 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.