Government of Singapore

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Government of Singapore
Overview
Established9 August 1965;58 years ago (1965-08-09)
State Republic of Singapore
Leader Prime Minister of Singapore
Appointed by President of Singapore
Main organ Cabinet of Singapore
Ministries 16
Responsible to Parliament of Singapore
Website www.gov.sg
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana on 3 June 2006 Lee Hsien Loong, June 3, 2006.jpg
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana on 3 June 2006

The Constitution defines the Government of Singapore as the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. The executive authority of Singapore is vested in the President and is exercisable by them or by the Cabinet of Singapore or any Minister authorised by the Cabinet. [34] However, the President normally plays a nominal and largely ceremonial role in the executive branch of government. Although the President acts in their own personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check on the Cabinet and Parliament of Singapore, [35] they are otherwise required to act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or of a Minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet. [36] It is the Cabinet that has the general direction and control of the Government. [37] As Singapore follows the Westminster system of government, the legislative agenda of Parliament is determined by the Cabinet. At the start of each new Parliamentary session, the President gives an address prepared by the Cabinet that outlines what the Cabinet intends to achieve in the session. [38]

Each parliament lasts for a maximum of five years from the date of its first sitting, [39] and once a parliament has been dissolved a general election must be held within three months. [40] Following a general election, the President appoints as Prime Minister an MP who, in their judgment, is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the MPs. [41] In practice, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the political party holding the majority of the seats in Parliament. [42] The President also appoints other Ministers from among the MPs, acting in accordance with the Prime Minister's advice. [41]

Ministries and responsibilities of Ministers

The Prime Minister may, by giving written directions, charge any Minister with responsibility for any department or subject. [43] In practice, this is done by issuing notifications that are published in the Government Gazette. For instance, the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Responsibility of Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, Prime Minister's Office) Notification 2009 [44] states:

It is hereby notified for general information that, pursuant to Article 30(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the Prime Minister has directed that Mr S. Jayakumar shall, with effect from 1st April 2009, be charged with the responsibility for the following matters:

(a) national security issues involving or affecting more than one Ministry;
(b) Chairmanship of the Security Policy Review Committee;
(c) foreign policy issues involving or affecting more than one Ministry; and
(d) foreign policy issues which involve legal negotiation or international adjudication,

and that he shall be designated as Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security.

Lim Hwee Hua, the first woman to be appointed a full minister to the Cabinet of Singapore, at the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Seoul, South Korea, on 19 June 2009. Lim was a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport during the 11th Parliament. LimHweeHua-WEF-Seoul-20090619.jpg
Lim Hwee Hua, the first woman to be appointed a full minister to the Cabinet of Singapore, at the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Seoul, South Korea, on 19 June 2009. Lim was a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport during the 11th Parliament.

Ministers may be designated by the Prime Minister to be in charge of particular ministries, or as Ministers in the Prime Minister's Office. Such Ministers were formerly known as Ministers without portfolio. The Prime Minister may retain any department or subject in their charge. [45] Some Ministers are appointed as Second Ministers for portfolios other than their own to assist the primary Minister in their duties. For instance, on 1 April 2009 during the 11th Parliament, Lim Hwee Hua, who was a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, also held the posts of Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Transport. [46]

As of 25 July 2020, the ministries of the Government are the following: [47]

A ministry is usually composed of a headquarters and a number of departments, boards or other subordinate entities, and statutory boards. For instance, in May 2007 the Ministry of Law had three departments (the Chief Information Officer's Office, Insolvency and Public Trustee's Office and Legal Aid Bureau), three boards and tribunals (the Appeals Board for Land Acquisitions, Copyright Tribunal and Land Surveyors Board), and two statutory boards (the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore and Singapore Land Authority). [48] The list of Cabinet ministers and other office holders was announced on 25 July 2020. In a press conference, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, "I'm rotating the ministers, especially the younger ones, to gain exposure and experience. We regularly do this during Cabinet shuffles, and the intent is to expose the office-holders to different portfolios to gain both breadth and depth to understand the intricacies of the issues, and to see things from different perspectives." [49]

Government of Singapore
Chinese name
Chinese 新加坡政府
Composition of the Cabinet [50] [51]
PortfolioMinisterPortraitDate
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
李显龙
Lee Hsien Loong 2016 (cropped).jpg 12 August 2004
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
黄循财
Lawrence Wong 20230526.jpg 13 June 2022
Minister for Finance 15 May 2021
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat
王瑞杰
Heng Swee Keat.jpg 1 May 2019 [52]
Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies 27 July 2020
Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean
张志贤
Teo Chee Hean 2.jpg 1 May 2019
Coordinating Minister for National Security 1 October 2015
Minister for Defence Dr.Ng Eng Hen
黄永宏
Ng Eng Hen 2.jpg 21 May 2011
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan
விவியன் பாலகிருஷ்ணன்
Vivian Balakrishnan - 2010 (cropped).jpg 1 October 2015
Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam
காசிவிஸ்வநாதன் சண்முகம்
K Shanmugam crop.jpg 1 October 2015
Minister for Law 1 May 2008
Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong
颜金勇
Gan Kim Yong at a PCF graduation ceremony - 20081113 (cropped).jpg 15 May 2021
Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat
徐芳达
SIN Chee Hong Tat at Caring Commuter Carnival 2023-11-04.jpg 18 January 2024 [lower-alpha 1]
Second Minister for Finance
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu Hai Yien
傅海燕
Grace Fu (cropped).jpg 27 July 2020
Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations18 January 2024
Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing
陈振声
Chan Chun Sing in Singapore.jpg 15 May 2021
Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli
ماسڬوس ذوالكفل
Minister Masagos Zulkifli.jpg 27 July 2020
Second Minister of Health 27 July 2020
Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs 1 May 2018
Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung
王乙康
Ong Ye Kung at the 2018 G20 Education Ministerial Meeting.jpg 15 May 2021
Minister for National Development Desmond Lee
李智陞
Desmond Lee at Bukit Brown Cemetery, Singapore - 20171118.jpg 27 July 2020
Minister-in-charge of Social Service Integration
Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo
杨莉明
Josephine Teo September 2016 (29908295102).jpg 15 May 2021
Second Minister for Home Affairs 11 September 2017
Minister-in-Charge of the Smart Nation Initiative 15 May 2021
Minister-in-Charge of Cybersecurity
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Thurai Rajah
இந்திராணி ராஜா
Indranee Rajah in Lecture Theatre B.2.17, Block B, SIM University, Singapore - 20150905-02 (cropped).jpg 1 May 2018
Second Minister for Finance 1 May 2018
Second Minister for National Development 27 July 2020
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Dr.Maliki Osman
محمد مالكي بن عثمان
Maliki Osman July 2018 (43440550432) (cropped).jpg 27 July 2020
Second Minister for Education
Second Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong
唐振辉
Edwin Tong 2019.jpg 27 July 2020
Second Minister of Law
Minister for Manpower Dr.Tan See Leng
陈诗龙
Dr-Tan-See-Leng.png 15 May 2021
Second Minister for Trade and Industry 27 July 2020

Other aspects of the Government

Ministers of State and Parliamentary Secretaries

As in the United Kingdom and in a number of Commonwealth countries, Members of Parliament (MPs) may be appointed as Ministers of State to aid Ministers in the performance of their functions. In addition, the Constitution provides that the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may appoint Parliamentary Secretaries from among the MPs to assist Ministers in the discharge of their duties and functions. [54] Such office holders are not regarded as members of the Cabinet.

Where in any written law a Minister is empowered to exercise any power or perform any duty, he may, in the absence of any provision of law to the contrary, with the approval of the President and by notification in the Government Gazette, depute any person by name or the person for the time being discharging the duties of an office designated by him to exercise that power or perform that duty on behalf of the Minister subject to such conditions, exceptions and qualifications as the President may determine. [55] For instance, under the Delegation of Powers (Ministry of Law) (Consolidation) Notification, [56] the Senior Minister of State for Law is deputed to exercise certain powers of the Minister for Law under the Copyright Act, [57] Criminal Procedure Code, [58] Land Acquisition Act, [59] Land Surveyors Act, [60] and Pawnbrokers Act; [61] while the Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs is deputed the powers of the Minister for Home Affairs under regulation 157 of the Prisons Regulations [62] pursuant to the Delegation of Powers (Ministry of Home Affairs) (Consolidation) Notification. [63]

Statutory boards

A statutory board is an autonomous agency of the Government that is established by an Act of Parliament and overseen by a government ministry. The Act sets out the purposes, powers and rights of the agency. Unlike ministries and government departments that are subdivisions of ministries, statutory boards may not be staffed by civil servants [64] and have greater independence and flexibility in their operations. They are managed by boards of directors whose members usually include businessmen, professionals, senior civil servants and officials of trade unions. [65] The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), the Central Provident Fund Board (CPF), the Housing and Development Board (HDB), the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the National Heritage Board (NHB), and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) are all statutory boards.

The National Heritage Board is a statutory board of the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. They are both housed in the Old Hill Street Police Station, photographed here on 23 March 2005. MITA Building Singapore 02.jpg
The National Heritage Board is a statutory board of the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. They are both housed in the Old Hill Street Police Station, photographed here on 23 March 2005.

The National Heritage Board is an example of a typical statutory board. It was established on 1 August 1993 with the enactment of the National Heritage Board Act. [66] Section 3 of the Act states: "There shall be established a body to be known as the National Heritage Board which shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and shall, by that name, be capable of—(a) suing and being sued; (b) acquiring, owning, holding, developing and disposing of property, both movable and immovable; and (c) doing and suffering all such acts or things as bodies corporate may lawfully do or suffer." The functions of the Board are: [67]

The board is empowered to "do all things necessary or convenient to be done for or in connection with the performance of its functions". [68] Without prejudice to the generality of that provision, the Board also has power to, for example, develop and manage museums, archives, oral history centres and other facilities related to its functions; [69] to advise and facilitate the preservation of historic sites; [70] and to establish liaison with other museums, archives, oral history centres, universities and other institutions to secure maximum collaboration of all activities relevant to its functions. [71]

The board consists of a chairman, a deputy chairman, and not less than 10 nor more than 25 other members as the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts may from time to time determine. [72] The members of the board are appointed by the minister, [73] and hold office for such term as the minister may determine unless they resign during their term of office or their appointment is revoked by the minister. [74] The minister is not required to provide any reason for revoking the appointment of a board member. [75] The minister may, in consultation with the Board or otherwise, give the board directions as he thinks fit that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the act concerning the exercise and performance by the board of its functions, and the board is required to give effect to such directions. [76]

With the approval of the minister, the board is required to appoint a chief executive officer who is responsible to the Board for the proper administration and management of the Board's affairs in accordance with the policy laid down by the Board. [77] The board is entitled to appoint employees and officers on such terms as to remuneration or otherwise as it may determine, and to engage other persons and pay for their services as it considers necessary for carrying out its functions and duties. [78]

Community Development Councils and district mayors

The People's Association (PA) is a statutory board, the objects of which include the organisation and the promotion of group participation in social, cultural, educational and athletic activities for the people of Singapore in order that they may realise that they belong to a multiracial community, the interests of which transcend sectional loyalties; [79] and the establishment of institutions for the purpose of leadership training in order to instill in leaders a sense of national identity and a spirit of dedicated service to a multiracial community. [80]

There are five Community Development Councils (CDCs) appointed by the board of management of the PA for districts in Singapore, namely, the Central Singapore CDC, North East CDC, North West CDC, South East CDC and South West CDC. [81] The functions of a CDC include fostering community bonding and strengthening social cohesion amongst the people of Singapore; and advising the PA on matters affecting the well-being of residents in districts, the provision and use of public facilities and services within districts, and the use of public funds allocated to districts for community activities. [82]

Each CDC consists of a chairman and between 12 and 80 other members. [83] Where the number of residents in a district is not less than 150,000, the PA's board of management is empowered to designate the Chairman of a CDC to be the Mayor for the district that the CDC is appointed for. [84] As it is the practice for MPs to be appointed as Chairmen of CDCs, these MPs have also been designated as Mayors. As of 25 July 2020, the Mayors are:

DistrictMayor
Central Singapore Denise Phua
North East Desmond Choo
North West Alex Yam
South East Mohd Fahmi Aliman
South West Low Yen Ling
The names in bold are the surnames of Chinese persons, and the personal names of Indian and Malay persons.

Even if Mayors are required to vacate their seats in Parliament because Parliament has been dissolved or otherwise, they continue to hold office until their terms of office expire or they are directed to vacate their office by the PA's board of management. [85] As of January 2012, the Mayors are paid an annual salary of S$660,000 (US$486,500). [86]

See also

Notes

  1. Chee Hong Tat served as Acting Minister of Transport from 12 July 2023 to 18 January 2024. [53]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Singapore</span> Political system of Singapore

Singapore is a parliamentary representative democratic republic whereby the president of Singapore is the head of state, the prime minister of Singapore is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Cabinet from the parliament, and to a lesser extent, the president. Cabinet has the general direction and control of the government and is accountable to Parliament. There are three separate branches of government: the legislature, executive and judiciary abiding by the Westminster system. Singapore has been described as being a de facto one-party state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prime Minister of Singapore</span> Head of the government of the Republic of Singapore

The prime minister of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore. The president appoints the prime minister, a Member of Parliament (MP) who in their opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of the majority of MPs. The incumbent prime minister is Lee Hsien Loong, who took office on 12 August 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Singapore</span> Head of state of the Republic of Singapore

The president of the Republic of Singapore is the head of state of Singapore. The president represents the country in official diplomatic functions and possesses certain executive powers over the Government of Singapore, including the control of the national reserves and the ability to revoke and appoint public service appointments. The president also holds the prerogative to grant pardons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of Singapore</span> Executive branch of the Singapore government

The Cabinet of Singapore forms the executive branch of the Government of Singapore together with the President. It is led by the Prime Minister who is the head of government. The prime minister is a Member of Parliament (MP) appointed by the president who in the president's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament (MPs). The other Ministers in the Cabinet are Members of Parliament appointed by the president acting in accordance with the advice of the prime minister. Ministers are prohibited from holding any office of profit and from actively engaging in any commercial enterprise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-constituency Member of Parliament</span> MP without constituency in Singapore

A Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) is a member of an opposition political party in Singapore who, according to the Constitution and Parliamentary Elections Act, is declared to have been elected a Member of Parliament (MP) without constituency representation, despite having lost in a general election, by virtue of having been one of the best-performing losers. When less than 12 opposition MPs have been elected, the number of NCMPs is the difference to total 12. NCMPs enjoy all of the privileges of ordinary members of Parliament, apart from the salary, which is substantially lower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of Singapore</span> Legislature of Singapore

The Parliament of Singapore is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Singapore, which governs the country alongside the president of Singapore. Largely based upon the Westminster system, the Parliament is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected, as well as Non-constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) and Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) who are appointed. Following the 2020 general election, 93 MPs and two NCMPs from three political parties were elected to the 14th Parliament. Throughout the sitting of Parliament, nine NMPs are usually appointed by the president on a biennial basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidential Council for Minority Rights</span> Government body in Singapore

The Presidential Council for Minority Rights (PCMR) is a non-elected government body in Singapore established in 1970, the main function of which is to scrutinize most of the bills passed by Parliament to ensure that they do not discriminate against any racial or religious community. If the Council feels that any provision in a bill amounts to a differentiating measure, it will report its findings to Parliament and refer the bill back to Parliament for reconsideration. The council also examines subsidiary legislation and statutes in force on 9 January 1970. One member of the PCMR is nominated by the chairman to the Presidential Elections Committee, which is empowered to ensure that candidates for the office of President have the qualifications required by the Constitution. The President also appoints and dismisses the chairman and members of the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony ("PCRH"), established by the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, on the advice of the PCMR, and the PCMR is responsible for determining whether PCRH members who are not representatives of major religions in Singapore have distinguished themselves in public service or community relations in Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of Singapore</span> Supreme law of Singapore

The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore. A written constitution, the text which took effect on 9 August 1965 is derived from the Constitution of the State of Singapore 1963, provisions of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia made applicable to Singapore by the Republic of Singapore Independence Act 1965, and the Republic of Singapore Independence Act itself. The text of the Constitution is one of the legally binding sources of constitutional law in Singapore, the others being judicial interpretations of the Constitution, and certain other statutes. Non-binding sources are influences on constitutional law such as soft law, constitutional conventions, and public international law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sources of Singapore law</span> Sources of law in Singapore

There are three general sources of Singapore law: legislation, judicial precedents, and custom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judicial officers of the Republic of Singapore</span>

The judicial officers of the Republic of Singapore work in the Supreme Court and the State Courts to hear and determine disputes between litigants in civil cases and, in criminal matters, to determine the liability of accused persons and their sentences if they are convicted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Group representation constituency</span> Type of electoral division in Singapore

A group representation constituency (GRC) is a type of electoral division or constituency in Singapore in which teams of candidates, instead of individual candidates, compete to be elected into Parliament as the Members of Parliament (MPs) for the constituency. Synonymous to the party block voting (PBV) or the general ticket used in other countries, the Government stated that the GRC scheme was primarily implemented to enshrine minority representation in Parliament: at least one of the MPs in a GRC must be a member of the Malay, Indian or another minority community of Singapore. In addition, it was economical for town councils, which manage public housing estates, to handle larger constituencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1993 Singaporean presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Singapore on 28 August 1993. Following amendments to the Constitution in 1991, presidential elections since then are to be directly elected by citizens. Incumbent president Wee Kim Wee, who had been elected by Parliament in 1989, did not seek re-election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powers of the president of Singapore</span>

The powers of the president of Singapore are divided into those which the president may exercise at their own discretion, and those they must exercise in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet of Singapore or of a minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet. In addition, the president is required to consult the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) when performing some of their functions. In other cases, the president may consult the CPA if they wish to but is not bound to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidential elections in Singapore</span> Electing Singapore President

Presidential elections in Singapore, in which the President of Singapore is directly elected by a popular vote, were introduced after a constitutional amendment made in 1991. Potential candidates for office must meet stringent qualifications set out in the Constitution. Certificates of Eligibility are issued by the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC). In particular, the PEC must assess that they are persons of integrity, good character and reputation; and if they have not previously held certain key government appointments or were the chief executives of profitable companies with shareholders' equity of an average of S$500 million for the most recent three years in that office, they must demonstrate to the PEC that they held a position of comparable seniority and responsibility in the public or private sector that has given them experience and ability in administering and managing financial affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of the Republic of Singapore Tribunal</span> Constitutional court

The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore Tribunal is a tribunal established in 1994 pursuant to Article 100 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore. Article 100 provides a mechanism for the President of Singapore, acting on the advice of the Singapore Cabinet, to refer to the Tribunal for its opinion any question as to the effect of any provision of the Constitution which has arisen or appears to likely to arise. Questions referred to the Tribunal may concern the validity of enacted laws or of bills that have not yet been passed by Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judicial independence in Singapore</span> Judicial independence in the nation

Judicial independence is protected by Singapore's Constitution, statutes such as the State Courts Act and Supreme Court of Judicature Act, and the common law. Independence of the judiciary is the principle that the judiciary should be separated from legislative and executive power, and shielded from inappropriate pressure from these branches of government, and from private or partisan interests. It is crucial as it serves as a foundation for the rule of law and democracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Article 14 of the Constitution of Singapore</span>

Article 14 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, specifically Article 14(1), guarantees to Singapore citizens the rights to freedom of speech and expression, peaceful assembly without arms, and association. However, the enjoyment of these rights may be restricted by laws imposed by the Parliament of Singapore on the grounds stated in Article 14(2) of the Constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Representative democracy in Singapore</span> Democratic system used in Singapore national elections

Singapore has a multi-party parliamentary system of representative democracy in which the President of Singapore is the head of state and the Prime Minister of Singapore is the head of government. Executive power is vested in the President and the Cabinet. Cabinet has the general direction and control of the government and is collectively responsible to the Parliament. There are three separate branches of government: the legislature, executive and judiciary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Separation of powers in Singapore</span>

The Separation of powers in Singapore is governed by Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, which splits the power to govern the country between three branches of government – the parliament, which makes laws; the executive, which executes them; and the judiciary, which enforces them. Each branch, while wielding legitimate power and being protected from external influences, is subject to a system of checks and balances by the other branches to prevent abuse of power. This Westminster constitutional model was inherited from the British during Singapore's colonial years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">By-elections in Singapore</span>

By-elections in Singapore are elections held to fill seats in the Parliament of Singapore that fall vacant in between general elections, known as casual vacancies. In the past, the Government of Singapore took the position that the Prime Minister had discretion whether or not a by-election should be called to fill a casual vacancy in a Single Member Constituency, and could leave a parliamentary seat unfilled until the next general election. However, in the case of Vellama d/o Marie Muthu v. Attorney-General (2013), which arose from a vacancy in Hougang Single Member Constituency, the Court of Appeal held that the Constitution of Singapore obliges the Prime Minister to call a by-election unless a general election is going to be held in the near future. However, a by-election need only be called within a reasonable time, and the Prime Minister has the discretion to determine when it should be held.

References

  1. Part V of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore ( 1985 Rev. Ed.,1999 Reprint ) is entitled "The Government". Chapter 1 of Part V deals with the President, and ch. 2 the Cabinet.
  2. By the Transfer of Singapore to East India Company, etc. Act 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. 108) (UK).
  3. Pursuant to the Government of India Act 1800 (39 & 40 Geo. 3. c. 79) (UK).
  4. Kevin Y. L. Tan (2005), "A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore", in Kevin Y. L. Tan (ed.), Essays in Singapore Legal History, Singapore: Singapore Academy of Law & Marshall Cavendish Academic, pp. 30–31, ISBN   978-981-210-389-5 .
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  10. "The Second World War : A military history". 2010.
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  18. 6 & 7 Eliz. 2. c. 59.
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  23. Tan, "A Short Legal and Constitutional History of Singapore", p. 49.
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  25. Constitution and Malaysia (Singapore Amendment) Act 1965 (Malaysia), s. 6.
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  28. See, for example, Norman Flynn (2002), Moving to Outcome Budgeting: Paper Commissioned for the Finance Committee by the Scottish Parliament Research and Information Group [SP Paper 584], Edinburgh: Stationery Office, p. 5, para. 3.48, ISBN   978-0-338-40614-9, archived from the original on 21 June 2009, [The] Singapore ... government is recognised as a modern and progressive manager of the civil service and the economy.
  29. Corruption Perceptions Index 2010, Transparency International, 2010, pp. 2 & 9, archived from the original on 3 December 2010, retrieved 29 October 2010.
  30. "Singapore polls undemocratic, says opposition candidate", The Peninsula , 24 May 2006, archived from the original on 23 July 2009, retrieved 9 June 2009.
  31. See, for example, Simon Tisdall (14 April 2006), "Singapore's 'fear factor' fails to silence dissident", The Guardian .
  32. See, for example, the cases Jeyaretnam Joshua Benjamin v. Lee Kuan Yew [1990] S.L.R. [Singapore Law Reports] 38, Court of Appeal (C.A.); Jeyaretnam Joshua Benjamin v. Lee Kuan Yew [1992] 2 S.L.R. 310, C.A.; Goh Chok Tong v. Tang Liang Hong [1997] 2 S.L.R. 641, High Court (H.C.); Lee Kuan Yew v. Tang Liang Hong [1997] 3 S.L.R. 91, H.C.; Goh Chok Tong v. Jeyaretnam Joshua Benjamin [1998] 3 S.L.R. 337, C.A.; Lee Kuan Yew v. Chee Soon Juan (No.2) [2005] 1 S.L.R. 552, H.C.; Goh Chok Tong v. Chee Soon Juan (No. 2) [2005] 1 S.L.R. 573, H.C.; Lee Hsien Loong v. Singapore Democratic Party [2007] 1 S.L.R. 675, [2009] 1 S.L.R. 642, H.C.; and Lee Hsien Loong v. Review Publishing Co. Ltd. [2009] 1 S.L.R. 177, H.C. See also Michael Hor (1992), "The Freedom of Speech and Defamation", Singapore Journal of Legal Studies: 542; Tey Tsun Hang (2008), "Singapore's Jurisprudence of Political Defamation and its Triple-Whammy Impact on Political Speech", Public Law : 452.
  33. Newspaper and Printing Presses Act( Cap. 206,2002 Rev. Ed. ), ss. 24–28. See, for example, Re Dow Jones Publishing (Asia) Inc's Application [1988] S.L.R. 481, H.C.; and Dow Jones Publishing Co. (Asia) Inc. v Attorney-General [1989] S.L.R. 70, C.A.
  34. Constitution, Art. 23(1).
  35. See, generally, Art. 21(2) of the Singapore Constitution.
  36. Constitution, Art. 21(1).
  37. Constitution, Art. 24(2).
  38. Standing Orders of Parliament (as amended on 19 October 2004) (PDF), Parliament of Singapore, 19 October 2004, archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2010, retrieved 25 May 2009, Orders 15(1) ("At the conclusion of the President's speech delivered at the opening of any session, Parliament shall stand adjourned without any question being put. The Leader of the House shall give two clear days' notice naming an ordinary sitting day, not less than two clear days after the day on which the speech was delivered, for the next sitting of Parliament, and Parliament shall sit on the day stated in such notice.") and 15(2) ("Such notice shall also give notice for such sitting day, of a motion to be moved by a Minister or other Member named by the Leader of the House that an Address expressing the thanks of Parliament for the speech of the President be agreed to. Debate thereon shall be confined to the policy of the Government as outlined in the speech."). See also Constitution, Art. 62: "The President may address Parliament and may send messages thereto."
  39. Constitution, Art. 65(4) ("Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for 5 years from the date of its first sitting and shall then stand dissolved.")
  40. Constitution, Art. 66 ("There shall be a general election at such time, within 3 months after every dissolution of Parliament, as the President shall, by Proclamation in the Gazette, appoint.").
  41. 1 2 Constitution, Art. 25(1).
  42. Thio Li-ann (1999), "The Constitutional Framework of Powers", in Kevin Y L Tan (ed.), The Singapore Legal System (2nd ed.), Singapore: Singapore University Press, p. 67 at 84, ISBN   978-9971-69-213-1 .
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  44. S 142/2009.
  45. Constitution, Art. 30(2).
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  55. Interpretation Act( Cap. 1,2002 Rev. Ed. ), s. 36(1).
  56. Cap. 1, N 10, 2002 Rev Ed., as amended by the Delegation of Powers (Ministry of Law) Notification 2005 (S 438/2005) which took effect on 5 July 2005.
  57. Copyright Act( Cap. 63 ).
  58. Criminal Procedure Code( Cap. 68 ).
  59. Land Acquisition Act( Cap. 152 ).
  60. Land Surveyors Act( Cap. 156 ).
  61. Pawnbrokers Act( Cap. 222 ).
  62. Cap. 247, Rg. 2, 2002 Rev. Ed. Regulation 157 relates to the withdrawal or curtailment of prisoners' privileges in cases of abuse. Oddly, though, it does not specifically mention the Minister for Home Affairs. It may be that this is a typographical error, and that the Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs was intended to be delegated the power of the Minister under reg. 127, sub-reg. 10 of which provides that certain visits of or communications with prisoners are only permitted at the written order of the Minister or the Director of Prisons.
  63. Cap. 1, N 8, 2002 Rev Ed. Under the notification, specified powers of the Minister for Home Affairs are also deputed to various civil servants, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Director of the Central Narcotics Bureau, the Director of Prisons, the Commissioner of Police and the Controller of Immigration.
  64. Though civil servants may be seconded from a ministry or subdivision thereof to a statutory board.
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  67. NHB Act, s. 6.
  68. NHB Act, s. 7(1).
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  70. NHB Act, s. 7(2)(c).
  71. NHB Act, s. 7(2)(g).
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  77. NHB Act, ss. 28(1) and (2).
  78. NHB Act, s. 29.
  79. People's Association Act( Cap. 227,2000 Rev. Ed. ) ("PA Act"), s. 8(a).
  80. PA Act, s. 8(b).
  81. People's Association (Community Development Councils) Rules (Cap. 227, R 2, 1998 Rev. Ed.) ("PA (CDC) Rules"), rr. 3 and 4 and 1st Sch. See also Overview of CDC, People's Association, 5 July 2007, archived from the original on 17 December 2008, retrieved 15 May 2009.
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  83. PA (CDC) Rules, r. 5(1).
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Bibliography

Further reading