Public Order (Exempt Assemblies and Processions) (Amendment) Order 2024

Status:

Published in Subsidiary Legislation Supplement
on 31 May 2024

No. S 455

Public Order Act 2009

Public Order
(Exempt Assemblies and Processions)
(Amendment) Order 2024

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 46 of the Public Order Act 2009, the Minister for Home Affairs makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order is the Public Order (Exempt Assemblies and Processions) (Amendment) Order 2024 and, except for paragraph 3, comes into operation on 31 May 2024.

(2) Paragraph 3 is deemed to have come into operation on 31 December 2021.

Amendment of Second Schedule

2. In the Public Order (Exempt Assemblies and Processions) Order 2009 (G.N. No. S 489/2009), in the Second Schedule, after item 7, insert —

“8.—(1) A public procession —

(a)

in the form of a walkabout or house visits;

(b)

organised by or on behalf of —

(i)	a candidate who is in a contested parliamentary election (whether singly or as a member of a group); or
(ii)	the political party of the candidate;

(c)

for either or both of the following purposes:

(i)	to promote or procure the electoral success of the candidate or the political party of the candidate or both;
(ii)	to enhance the standing of the candidate or the political party of the candidate or both in connection with the parliamentary election;

(d)

held within the campaign period of the parliamentary election at any time between 7 a.m. and 10.30 p.m.;

(e)

during which at least one of the following persons is present at any time:

(i)	the candidate;
(ii)	the candidate’s election agent;
(iii)	a person authorised by the candidate or the candidate’s election agent under section 83(2) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 to conduct and assume responsibility for the public procession; and

(f)

the conduct of which —

(i)

does not place the safety of any person in jeopardy;

(ii)

does not cause or result in any of the following:

(A)	an obstruction that impedes access to, or prevents the ordinary use of, any public road, bridge or other public place;
(B)	public disorder;
(C)	damage to public or private property;
(D)	noise that causes serious disruptions to residents in the vicinity or to activities ordinarily carried on in the vicinity; and

(iii)

does not involve any of the following:

(A)	the display or exhibition of any placard, banner, flag, poster, photograph, film, sign, writing or other visible representation, that contains any violent, lewd or obscene material;
(B)	any chants, songs or gestures that are violent, lewd or obscene;
(C)	the use of any perambulating vehicles;
(D)	the erection or use of any stage.

(2) In this item —

“campaign period” has the meaning given by section 61S(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954;

“candidate” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954;

“chant” means to repeatedly utter any words or sound;

“parliamentary election” means an election under the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954, whether or not the election is part of a general election.

9.—(1) A public procession —

(a)

in the form of a walkabout or house visits;

(b)

organised by or on behalf of a candidate in a presidential election;

(c)

for either or both of the following purposes:

(i)	to promote or procure the electoral success of the candidate;
(ii)	to enhance the standing of the candidate in connection with the presidential election;

(d)

held within the campaign period of the presidential election at any time between 7 a.m. and 10.30 p.m.;

(e)

during which at least one of the following persons is present at any time:

(i)	the candidate;
(ii)	the candidate’s election agent;
(iii)	a person authorised by the candidate or the candidate’s election agent under section 65(2) of the Presidential Elections Act 1991 to conduct and assume responsibility for the public procession; and

(f)

the conduct of which —

(i)

does not place the safety of any person in jeopardy;

(ii)

does not cause or result in any of the following:

(A)	an obstruction that impedes access to, or prevents the ordinary use of, any public road, bridge or other public place;
(B)	public disorder;
(C)	damage to public or private property;
(D)	noise that causes serious disruptions to residents in the vicinity or to activities ordinarily carried on in the vicinity; and

(iii)

does not involve any of the following:

(A)	the display or exhibition of any placard, banner, flag, poster, photograph, film, sign, writing or other visible representation, that contains any violent, lewd or obscene material;
(B)	any chants, songs or gestures that are violent, lewd or obscene;
(C)	the use of any perambulating vehicles;
(D)	the erection or use of any stage.

(2) In this item —

“campaign period” has the meaning given by section 42R(1) of the Presidential Elections Act 1991;

“candidate” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Presidential Elections Act 1991;

“chant” means to repeatedly utter any words or sound;

“presidential election” means an election under the Presidential Elections Act 1991.”.

Miscellaneous amendments

3. In the Public Order (Exempt Assemblies and Processions) Order 2009 —

(a)

in the First Schedule, in item 2(b), replace “(Cap. 329A)” with “1988”;

(b)

in the First Schedule, in item 4(2), in the definition of “company”, replace “(Cap. 50)” with “1967”;

(c)

in the First Schedule, in item 4(2), in the definition of “Singapore‑controlled partnership”, in paragraph (a), delete “(Act 29 of 2014)”;

(d)

in the First Schedule, in item 4(2), in the definition of “Singapore‑controlled partnership”, in paragraph (b), replace “(Cap. 163B)” with “2008”;

(e)

in the First Schedule, in item 5, replace “Public Entertainments and Meetings Act (Cap. 257)” with “Public Entertainments Act 1958”;

(f)

in the First Schedule, in item 6, replace “Public Entertainments and Meetings Act” with “Public Entertainments Act 1958”;

(g)

in the following provisions, replace “(Cap. 2B)” with “2007”:

First Schedule, item 9(1)(a)

Second Schedule, item 4(1)(a);

(h)

in the following provisions, replace “(Cap. 37)” with “1994”:

First Schedule, item 9(1)(b)

Second Schedule, item 4(1)(b);

(i)

in the following provisions, replace “(Cap. 218)” with “1954”:

First Schedule, items 12(1) and (2) and 13(b)(i)(B)

Second Schedule, item 5(1) and (2);

(j)

in the First Schedule, in item 13, after “election under the Parliamentary Elections Act”, insert “1954”;

(k)

in the First Schedule, in item 13(a)(i) and (b)(i)(A), after “Parliamentary Elections Act”, insert “1954”;

(l)

in the following provisions, replace “(Cap. 240A)” with “1991”:

First Schedule, items 14(1) and 15(b)(i)(B)

Second Schedule item 6(1) and (2);

(m)

in the First Schedule, in items 14(2) and 15(a)(i), after “Presidential Elections Act”, insert “1991”; and

(n)

in the First Schedule, in item 15, after “election under the Presidential Elections Act”, insert “1991”.

[G.N. Nos. S 135/2011; S 261/2014; S 474/2015; S 118/2016; S 376/2016; S 558/2016; S 277/2017; S 493/2020]

Made on 24 May 2024.

PANG KIN KEONG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Singapore.

[112/2/0108; AG/LEGIS/SL/257A/2020/3 Vol. 1]

Search within Legislation