Metrication Bill - Singapore Statutes Online

Metrication Bill

Bill No. 40/1970

Read the first time on 4th November 1970.

An Act to introduce the use of the International System of Units in Singapore, to enable necessary modifications of legislation to be effected and for matters connected therewith.

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 Metrication Act, 1970, and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Act, “International System of Units” means the metric system of units as set out in Schedules A and B to this Act and shall include the units set out in Schedule D to this Act unless there is something in the subject or context thereof inconsistent with such construction or unless it is therein otherwise expressly provided.

(2) The abbreviation “SI” shall be recognised as a legal reference to the International System of Units.

International System of Units

3.—(1) On and after the date of the coming into operation of this Act, the use of the system of units known as “the International System of Units” shall have legal force and validity in Singapore.

(2) The International System of Units shall consist of —

(a)	the basic units set out in Schedule A to this Act;
(b)	the supplementary and derived units set out in Schedule B to this Act; and
(c)	the units which may be used in conjunction with the basic and supplementary and derived units as set out in Schedule D to this Act.

Power to adapt, etc.

4.—(1) The Minister for the time being charged with the responsibility for departments and subjects in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Singapore may by order provide for the adaptation, alteration, conversion or modification of any provisions contained in any written law relating to such departments and subjects as may be to him appropriate for the purpose of replacing references to units other than metric units contained therein by references to units of the International System of Units which are either equivalent thereto or such approximations thereto as appear to the appropriate Minister desirable for the purpose of securing that the enactments as adapted, altered, converted or modified are expressed in convenient terms.

(2) Any order made under the provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall be published in the Gazette.

Conversion of imperial standard units to metric system units

5. The values expressed in terms of —

(a)	any imperial standard relating to measures of extension whether lineal, superficial or solid, or weight or capacity; or
(b)	the local customary system of weights and measures,

may be converted into the values expressed in terms of the International System of Units in accordance with Schedule C to this Act.

Power to vary, etc., Schedules

6. The Minister may, from time to time by notification in the Gazette, add to, vary or amend the Schedules to this Act as he may think fit.

Saving

7.—(1) No act or thing done prior to the making of any order pursuant to section 4 of this Act shall be challenged only on the ground that such act or thing done was done in a unit other than a unit of the International System of Units.

(2) Nothing in this Act shall affect the legal force and validity of any other system of units lawfully used in Singapore.

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