Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) (Amendment) Bill

Bill No. 27/1998

Read the first time on 1st June 1998.
An Act to amend the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act (Chapter 189 of the 1985 Revised Edition).
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:
Short title and commencement
1.  This Act may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) (Amendment) Act 1998 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.
Amendment of section 3
2.  Section 3 of the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act (referred to in this Act as the principal Act) is amended —
(a)by deleting subsection (1) and substituting the following subsection:
(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, it shall not be lawful for any person to use or to cause or permit any other person to use —
(a)a motor vehicle in Singapore; or
(b)a motor vehicle which is registered in Singapore in any territory specified in the Schedule,
unless there is in force in relation to the use of the motor vehicle by that person or that other person, as the case may be, such a policy of insurance or such a security in respect of third-party risks as complies with the requirements of this Act.”; and
(b)by inserting, immediately after subsection (6), the following subsection:
(7)  The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, amend the Schedule.”.
Amendment of section 4
3.  Section 4 of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by inserting, immediately after the words “motor vehicle” at the end of subsection (1)(b), the words “in Singapore and in any territory specified in the Schedule”;
(b)by inserting, immediately after subsection (1), the following subsections:
(1A)  It is hereby declared that a policy of insurance —
(a)which was issued on or before the commencement of the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) (Amendment) Act 1998 by an insurer who at the time the policy was issued was lawfully carrying on motor insurance business in Singapore; and
(b)which insures such person, persons or classes of persons as may be specified in the policy in respect of any liability which may be incurred by him or them in respect of the death of or bodily injury to any person caused by or arising out of the use of a motor vehicle in any territory specified in the Schedule,
shall be deemed always to have been a policy of insurance —
(i)issued for the purposes of this Act; and
(ii)under which third parties are conferred rights by sections 9, 11, 13 and 14.
(1B)  Nothing in subsection (1A) shall affect the rights of any person under any judgment given by any court of law before the commencement of the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) (Amendment) Act 1998 in respect of any claim arising under a policy of insurance which falls within the description of that subsection.”; and
(c)by inserting, immediately after the word “road” in the eleventh line of subsection (3), the words “in Singapore or in any territory specified in the Schedule”.
Amendment of section 5
4.  Section 5(1) of the principal Act is amended by deleting the words “after 1st March 1981” in the first line.
Amendment of section 6
5.  Section 6(1) of the principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after the word “road” in the sixth line, the words “in Singapore or in any territory specified in the Schedule”.
Amendment of section 9
6.  Section 9 of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the words “for a sum exceeding $5,000” in the third line of subsection (1); and
(b)by deleting subsection (2) and substituting the following subsection:
(2)  Notwithstanding subsection (1) providing for the payment to the Public Trustee —
(a)where the judgment is for a sum not exceeding $5,000, the insurer may pay the sum to the person or persons entitled to the benefit of the judgment; and
(b)the right of action thereby created shall vest in the person or persons entitled to the benefit of the judgment payable thereunder.”.
Amendment of section 19
7.  Section 19(1) of the principal Act is amended by deleting the word “Malaysia” in the third line of paragraph (f) and substituting the word “Singapore”.
New section 19A
8.  The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 19, the following section:
Power to amend sums specified in certain provisions
19A.  The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, amend the following provisions of this Act by substituting a different sum for any sum for the time being specified therein:
Sections 3(5)(b), 4(3) and (6)(b), 6(1), 9(2)(a) and (8) and 18(3).”.
New Schedule
9.  The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 22, the following Schedule:
THE SCHEDULE
Sections 3(1) and (7), 4(1)(b), (1A), (1B) and (3) and 6(1)
Territory
West Malaysia.”.