ESTABLISHMENT, INCORPORATION, CONSTITUTION, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE CORPORATION
Establishment and incorporation of Corporation
3. There is hereby established a body to be known as the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore which shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession, and with power to sue and be sued in its corporate name and to perform such other acts as bodies corporate may by law perform, and to exercise and perform such other powers and functions as are conferred by or under this Act.
Common seal
4. The Corporation shall have a common seal and the seal may, from time to time, be broken, changed, altered and made anew as the Corporation thinks fit and, until a seal is provided under this section, a stamp bearing the inscription “Telecommunication Authority of Singapore” may be used as the common seal.
Constitution of Corporation
5. The First Schedule shall have effect as respects the Corporation and its members.
Functions of Corporation
6.—(1) It shall be the function and duty of the Corporation —
(a)
to provide, operate and maintain good and sufficient information communication services except broadcasting and television services, and such other services on such terms as the Corporation may think expedient;
(b)
to promote the development of information communication in accordance with, as far as practicable, recognised international standard practice and public demand;
(c)
to exercise licensing and regulatory functions in respect of information communication in Singapore;
(d)
to act internationally as the national body representative of Singapore in respect of matters relating to information communication;
(e)
to advise the Government on all matters relating to information communication and to matters appertaining to the Corporation generally; and
(f)
to further the advancement of technology relating to information communication.
(2) In discharging the duties imposed on it by subsection (1), the Corporation shall have regard to —
(a)
efficiency and economy;
(b)
satisfying all reasonable demands for information communication services;
(c)
the desirability of improving and developing its operating system;
(d)
fostering the development and expansion of information communication services in the world in collaboration with other countries and international organisations concerned with information communication;
(e)
the promotion of measures for the safety of life through telecommunications;
(f)
the provision of information communication services at rates consistent with efficient service and the necessity for maintaining independent financial viability;
(g)
improvements in the use made of the radio frequencies spectrum;
(h)
the promotion of research and development in the field of information communication and, in particular, the peaceful uses of technology relating to information communication; and
(i)
collaboration with educational institutions for the promotion of technical education in the field of information communication.
(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed as —
(a)
imposing on the Corporation, either directly or indirectly, any form of duty or liability enforceable by proceedings before any court; or
(b)
precluding the Corporation from interrupting, suspending or restricting any information communication services provided by the Corporation.
(4) In discharging its functions, the Corporation shall not discriminate between one member of the public and another and shall provide freely available public service where there is demand for the service so as to justify such provisions.
(5) Nothing in subsection (4) shall preclude the Corporation from providing any special service for any person or section of the public where the special service is required.
Powers of Corporation
7.—(1) Subject to this Act, the Corporation may carry on such activities as appear to the Corporation to be advantageous, necessary or convenient for it to carry on for or in connection with the discharge of its functions and duties under this Act and, in particular, the Corporation may exercise any of the powers specified in the Second Schedule.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Corporation may, with the approval of the Minister, carry on such other activities as the Corporation may, from time to time, consider expedient.
(3) This section shall not be construed as limiting any power of the Corporation conferred by or under any other written law.
Directions by Minister
8.—(1) The Minister may, after consultation with the Corporation, give such directions to the Corporation as he thinks fit as to the exercise by it of its functions.
(2) Without prejudice to subsection (1), if it appears to the Minister to be requisite or expedient to do so —
(a)
in the interests of public security, national defence, or relations with the government of another country; or
(b)
in order —
(i)
to discharge or facilitate the discharge of an obligation binding on the Government by virtue of its being a member of an international organisation or a party to an international agreement;
(ii)
to attain or facilitate the attainment of any other object the attainment of which is in the Minister’s opinion requisite or expedient in view of the Government being a member of such an organisation or a party to such an agreement; or
(iii)
to enable the Government to become a member of such an organisation or a party to such an agreement,
he may, after consultation with the Corporation, give such directions to the Corporation as are necessary in the circumstances of the case.
(3) The Corporation shall give effect to any directions given to it under subsections (1) and (2).
(4) The Corporation shall not disclose any directions given to it under subsections (1) and (2) if the Minister notifies the Corporation that he is of the opinion that disclosure of the directions is against the public interest.
Annual report
9. The Corporation shall, as soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, submit to the Minister an annual report on the activities of the Corporation during that year and the Minister shall cause a copy of every such report to be presented to Parliament.