Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem (Amendment) Rules 2007

Status:

Published in Subsidiary Legislation Supplement
on 16 Jul 2007

No. S 377

Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act

(Chapter 296)

Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem (Amendment) Rules 2007

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act, the President hereby makes the following Rules:

Citation and commencement

1. These Rules may be cited as the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem (Amendment) Rules 2007 and shall come into operation on 16th July 2007.

Amendment of rule 2

2. Rule 2 of the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Rules (R 1) (referred to in these Rules as the principal Rules) is amended —

(a)

by deleting the definition of “display” and substituting the following definition:

“ “display”, in relation to the Flag, includes —

(a)	exhibiting, flying or hanging the Flag; or
(b)	printing, painting or placing of an image of the Flag on any surface;”; and

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “Government department”, the following definition:

“ “image”, in relation to the Flag, means —

(a)	any picture or visual image (whether electronically generated or otherwise) of the Flag; or
(b)	any other such picture or visual image that so nearly resembles the Flag as to be capable of being mistaken for the Flag;”.

Deletion and substitution of Part III

3. Part III of the principal Rules is deleted and the following Part substituted therefor:

“PART III

USE AND DISPLAY OF FLAG

Respect for Flag

4.—(1) No person shall treat the Flag with disrespect.

(2) No person in possession of the Flag shall allow or cause the Flag to touch the floor or ground, even when lowering the Flag from a staff or flagpole.

Display of Flag outside buildings

5.—(1) When the Flag is displayed outside a building, it shall be displayed on or in front of the building.

(2) At any time other than during the period referred to in paragraph (3), when the Flag is displayed outside a building or in an open space —

(a)	it shall be flown from a flagpole; and
(b)	it shall not be flown at night unless it is properly illuminated.

(3) At any time during the period beginning 1st July and ending on 30th September of each year, when the Flag is displayed outside a building or in an open space —

(a)	it may, but need not, be flown from a flagpole; and
(b)	it may be displayed at night without being properly illuminated.

Flying or display of Flag on vehicles, vessels and aircraft

6.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the Flag shall not be displayed on any motor vehicle except —

(a)

on a motor vehicle in which —

(i)	the President is travelling; or
(ii)	any Minister is travelling on official business; or

(b)

in such circumstances as may be approved by the Minister, being circumstances wherein there is no disrespect for the Flag.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), the Flag shall not be displayed on any vessel or aircraft except —

(a)	on a Government vessel or aircraft;
(b)	on such other vessel or aircraft as may be authorised under any written law to display the Flag; or
(c)	in such circumstances as may be approved by the Minister, being circumstances wherein there is no disrespect for the Flag.

(3) During the period beginning 1st July and ending on 30th September of each year, any person may, without the need for the approval of the Minister under paragraph (1)(b) or (2)(c), display the Flag on any vehicle (other than a hearse), vessel or aircraft except that he shall do so in a manner that does not give rise to any disrespect to the Flag.

Manner of display of Flag

7.—(1) Subject to international practice, the Flag shall take precedence over all other flags when displayed in Singapore.

(2) When the Flag is displayed with any other flag or flags, the Flag shall be displayed prominently, in the position of honour and, where practicable, above all other flags.

(3) When raised or carried in a procession with any other flag or flags, the Flag shall be raised or carried —

(a)	in front of the other flag or flags in a single file, or in the position of honour if the other flag or flags are carried side-by-side with the Flag; and
(b)	high on the right shoulder of the standard bearer.

(4) The Flag shall not be displayed below any other flag, emblem or object.

(5) When the Flag is displayed on a platform or stage, the Flag shall —

(a)	be above all decorations;
(b)	subject to sub-paragraph (c), be behind and above any person speaking from the platform or stage; and
(c)	if displayed from a staff standing on the platform or stage, be on the right side of any person speaking from the platform or stage.

(6) The Flag shall not be displayed or carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.

(7) When the Flag is hung —

(a)	the Flag shall be hung against a vertical wall or other vertical flat surface; and
(b)	the crescent and stars shall be on the top left position as seen by any spectator facing the Flag and the wall or surface, as the case may be.

(8) The Flag shall not be dipped in salute to any person or thing.

(9) In this rule, unless the context otherwise requires —

“flag” means any flag that is not the national flag of another State;

“position of honour”, in relation to the display of the Flag side-by-side with, and at the same level as, any other flag or flags, means —

(a)

the left as seen by any spectator facing —

(i)	the Flag and the other flag or flags; or
(ii)	the building on which, or in front of which, the Flag and the other flag or flags are flown; or

(b)

where the Flag and the other flag or flags are carried in a procession, the right as seen by the standard bearers.

Damaged Flag

8. No person shall display, or cause to be displayed, any Flag that is damaged or not in a proper and clean condition.

Use of Flag

9.—(1) No person shall use or apply the Flag or any image thereof —

(a)

for any commercial purpose;

(b)

as a means, or for the purpose, of any advertisement; or

(c)

as or as part of any furnishing, decoration, covering or receptacle,

except in such circumstances as may be approved by the Minister, being circumstances wherein there is no disrespect for the Flag.

(2) No person shall use or apply the Flag or any image thereof as or as part of any trademark.

(3) No person shall use or display the Flag or any image thereof at any private funeral, wake, memorial service or other funerary rite, ceremony or procession.

(4) Subject to paragraph (5), no person shall use or apply the Flag or any image thereof as or as part of any costume or attire except in such circumstances as may be approved by the Minister, being circumstances wherein there is no disrespect for the Flag.

(5) During the period beginning 1st July and ending on 30th September of each year, any person may, without the need for the approval of the Minister under paragraph (4), incorporate the Flag or an image thereof as part of any costume or attire except that he shall do so in a manner that does not give rise to any disrespect to the Flag.

(6) Subject to paragraph (7), no person shall produce or display any flag which bears any graphics or word superimposed on the design of the Flag.

(7) Paragraph (6) shall not apply to the production by or on behalf of, or the display by, any Government department of its flag.

(8) In this rule, “receptacle” includes a paper, plastic and refuse bag.

Lowering to half-mast

10.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Flag shall be flown at full mast.

(2) The Flag may be lowered to half-mast in the event of the death of an important personage or mourning affecting the nation.”.

Amendment of rule 14

4. Rule 14 of the principal Rules is amended —

(a)

by deleting paragraph (2) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(2) Any person who knowingly —

(a)	does any act in relation to the Flag in contravention of any of the provisions of rule 5, 6, 7, 9 (1), (2), (3) or (4) or 10 (1); or
(b)	contravenes rule 8 or 9 (6) in relation to the Flag,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.”; and

(b)

by deleting the words “rule 9 (1) or (2)” in paragraph (4) and substituting the words “rule 4”.

Made this 16th day of July 2007.

By Command,

LAU WAH MING

Secretary to the Cabinet,
Singapore.

[MICA D01.008.045V3; PM 07/73; AG/LEG/SL/296/2003/1 Vol. 2]

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