No. S 698
COVID‑19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020
(ACT 14 OF 2020)
COVID‑19 (Temporary Measures)
(Control Order) (Amendment No. 12)
Regulations 2020
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 34(1) of the COVID‑19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, the Minister for Health makes the following Regulations:
Citation and commencement
1.  These Regulations are the COVID‑19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) (Amendment No. 12) Regulations 2020 and come into operation on 19 August 2020.
Amendment of regulation 2
2.  Regulation 2 of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 (G.N. No. S 254/2020) (called in these Regulations the principal Regulations) is amended —
(a)by inserting, immediately after the definition of “business” in paragraph (1), the following definition:
“ “cohort” means a group of individuals with a common intention to meet in person for the same purpose or similar purposes, the composition of which does not change in relation to that purpose or those purposes except by way of reduction in numbers;”;
(b)by inserting, immediately after the definition of “funeral event” in paragraph (1), the following definitions:
“ “funerary memorial event” means a ritual, observance or ceremony —
(a)the sole purpose of which is to commemorate or honour any deceased according to any religious practice or the tenets of any religion or religious denomination or belief; and
(b)which is held not within a place of residence and after the funeral event for the deceased,
but does not include such a ritual, observance or ceremony for a public holiday;
“gathering” includes an assembly consisting of more than one cohort of individuals;”;
(c)by inserting, immediately after paragraph (b) of the definition of “maximum permissible group size” in paragraph (1), the following paragraph:
(ba)if the gathering is for a funerary memorial event held other than by a religious body in a room or place, the lower of the following:
(i)30 participants at any time during the event;
(ii)the maximum number of individuals which the room or place where the event is taking place may accommodate if regulations 10B(1)(k) and 12 are complied with as if the room or place were permitted premises, every participant attending the event were a customer and the organiser were a permitted enterprise;”;
(d)by inserting, immediately after the words “if the gathering” in paragraph (e) of the definition of “maximum permissible group size” in paragraph (1), the words “(which may be a funerary memorial event) held or allowed by a permitted enterprise”;
(e)by inserting, immediately after the definition of “operator” in paragraph (1), the following definitions:
“ “organiser” includes —
(a)for a solemnization of a marriage — any person (whether or not for reward and whether jointly or otherwise) who procures for, or supplies to, any party to the marriage, the premises and any goods and services for the arrangements in connection with the holding of the solemnization of the marriage;
(b)for a wedding relating to a marriage — any person (whether or not for reward and whether jointly or otherwise) who procures for, or supplies to, any party to the marriage, the premises and any goods and services for the celebration arrangements in connection with the holding of the wedding; or
(c)for a funerary memorial event — any individual who has charge over the conduct of any ritual, observance, rite, worship or ceremony at the event, and any person (whether or not for reward and whether jointly or otherwise) who procures or supplies —
(i)the premises where the event is held; and
(ii)any religious furnishings, religious items or goods, and other services or arrangements, required for the conduct of any ritual, observance, rite, worship or ceremony in connection with the holding of the event;
 
Illustrations
 
(a)  A function room in a condominium is hired by the groom for the purpose of a wedding reception. He engages a wedding planner to organise the wedding reception and plan the reception programme. With the authorisation of the groom, the wedding planner collects the keys to the function room and liaises with the managing agent of the condominium to ensure the room is cleaned and provisioned with the necessary utilities and furniture to hold the reception, and coordinates with the caterer, florists and photographers to secure their entry into the condominium and the timely set up and arrival of the food, furniture and decorations for the reception. The wedding planner is an organiser of the wedding for the purposes of this definition.
 
(b)  A hotel proprietor provides the ballroom, food and decorations for the solemnization of a marriage followed immediately by a wedding reception to be held on the hotel grounds. The hotel proprietor, and the bride and groom who contracted with the hotel for their solemnization and reception, are each an organiser of the wedding for the purposes of this definition.
 
(c)  A merchant association makes arrangements for priests to perform prayer services to commemorate deceased persons in a void deck. The association books the void deck and engages the services of 2 priests to conduct the rites, and a supplier of the religious furniture and items for the ceremony. The merchant association and the priests are each an organiser of the funerary memorial event for the purposes of this definition.
 
 
“participant”, in relation to a funerary memorial event, means an individual who attends the event for the purpose of taking part in any ritual, observance, rite, worship or ceremony commemorating or honouring any deceased, whether or not expressly invited to attend the event, but excludes any of the following:
(a)a permitted enterprise engaged to organise the funerary memorial event, or to provide authorised services —
(i)for the conduct of religious rituals, observances, rites, worship or ceremony during the event; or
(ii)for religious furnishings, religious items or goods, and other services or arrangements, required for the conduct of the event;
(b)a permitted enterprise worker of a permitted enterprise in paragraph (a) who is at work in relation to the event;”; and
(f)by inserting, immediately after paragraph (4), the following paragraph:
(5)  To avoid doubt, the maximum permissible group size prescribed in these Regulations for any gathering in a room or place does not affect the right of the owner or lessor of the room or place to grant or withhold permission to enter or remain in the room or place.”.
Amendment of regulation 4
3.  Regulation 4(3) of the principal Regulations is amended by inserting, immediately after the words “other similar capacity” in sub-paragraph (ia)(ii), the words “or a funerary memorial event”.
Amendment of regulation 6
4.  Regulation 6 of the principal Regulations is amended —
(a)by deleting paragraph (1) and substituting the following paragraph:
(1)  An individual must not gather with any other individual, outside of the individual’s ordinary place of residence for a purpose that is not performing work as, for or with a permitted enterprise, except in a cohort —
(a)that is a solemnization special cohort or a cohort in regulation 7A(2A)(b)(ii), where the purpose of gathering is the solemnization of a marriage;
(b)that is a wedding special cohort or a cohort in regulation 8(1)(c)(ii), where the purpose of gathering is a wedding; or
(c)in any other case, that consists of —
(i)individuals all of whom are from the same household; or
(ii)not more than 5 individuals.”;
(b)by deleting the words “The exceptional circumstances are —” in paragraph (2) and substituting the words “Without limiting the meaning of “reasonable excuse” in section 34(7) of the Act, a reasonable excuse for contravening this regulation includes gathering in the following circumstances:”; and
(c)by deleting sub-paragraphs (b) to (e) of paragraph (2) and substituting the following sub-paragraphs:
(b)to comply with an order, direction or requirement mentioned in regulation 4(3)(h);
(c)to seek or render help in an emergency;
(d)to leave Singapore.”.
Amendment of regulation 7
5.  Regulation 7(2) of the principal Regulations is amended —
(a)by deleting sub-paragraph (iii) of sub-paragraph (a) and substituting the following sub-paragraph:
(iii)a cohort mentioned in regulation 6(1)(c), 7A(2A)(b)(ii) or 8(1)(c)(ii) (as the case may be) for a purpose that is not performing work as, for or with a permitted enterprise and the other individual is part of that cohort;”; and
(b)by deleting sub-paragraph (c) and substituting the following sub-paragraph:
(c)is in any premises used in connection with the provision of —
(i)public passenger transport services by bus or rail;
(ii)a service involving the transport by a bus, buggy, tram or monorail of passengers within, or partly within, Sentosa; or
(iii)a service involving the transport by rail of passengers within or partly within an airport passenger terminal, or between airport passenger terminals, at Changi Airport; or”.
Amendment of regulation 7A
6.  Regulation 7A of the principal Regulations is amended —
(a)by deleting the word “and” at the end of paragraph (1)(a) and substituting the word “or”; and
(b)by deleting paragraph (2B).
Amendment of regulation 8
7.  Regulation 8 of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting paragraph (2).
New regulation 10AA
8.  The principal Regulations is amended by inserting, immediately after regulation 10 in Part 3, following regulation:
Requirements for funerary memorial events
10AA.—(1)  An organiser of a funerary memorial event taking place in any room or place must take (or cause to be taken) all reasonably practicable steps —
(a)to ensure that the participants attending the event in the room or place do not at any time during the event exceed the maximum permissible group size for the event in that room or place;
(b)to establish and apply appropriate procedures and controls (jointly with another or otherwise) that ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that every individual (whether or not a participant) is assessed, before entering the room or place, to determine whether he or she is a symptomatic case;
(c)to establish and apply appropriate procedures and controls (jointly with another or otherwise) during the event that enable or facilitate contact tracing of —
(i)every individual (whether or not a participant) who enters the room or place other than those in sub-paragraph (ii); and
(ii)every permitted enterprise (and its permitted enterprise workers) engaged in providing at the room or place authorised services for arrangements made in connection with the event;
(d)to refuse entry to the room or place of any individual whom the organiser knows or has reason to believe is a symptomatic case, or who refuses to comply with any measure mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) or (c);
(e)to minimise physical interaction during the event between participants at the event unless they are all from the same cohort of participants;
(f)to ensure that regulations 10B(1)(h), (i), (ia) and (k) and 12 are complied with during the event as if —
(i)the room or place were permitted premises and every participant were a customer;
(ii)the reference to 5 or fewer individuals in regulation 10B(1)(k) were a reference to each cohort of participants; and
(iii)the reference to 5 individuals in regulation 12(1)(a)(ii) were a reference to each cohort of participants;
(g)to ensure that none of the following activities are engaged in during the event, by anyone at the event:
(i)any variety act or performance of music or dancing or any singing in person;
(ii)any auction or organised competition of games of skill or chance;
(iii)any display or exhibition (whether on a television or other screen) of any entertainment or auction using real‑time transmission of the entertainment or auction happening elsewhere (whether in or outside Singapore and whether in a public or private place); and
(h)to ensure that no food or drink is consumed in the room or place during the event.
(2)  To avoid doubt, this regulation does not derogate from any other requirements in these Regulations applicable to an organiser who is a permitted enterprise unless expressly stated.”.
Amendment of regulation 12
9.  Regulation 12 of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting paragraph (2) and substituting the following paragraph:
(2)  Paragraph (1) does not apply in relation to any premises used in connection with the provision of —
(a)public passenger transport services by bus or rail;
(b)a service involving the transport by a bus, buggy, tram or monorail of passengers within, or partly within, Sentosa; or
(c)a service involving the transport by rail of passengers within or partly within an airport passenger terminal, or between airport passenger terminals, at Changi Airport.”.
Amendment of First Schedule
10.  Paragraph 5 of Part 3 of the First Schedule to the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the words “regulation 7A(2B)” and substituting the words “regulation 7A(2A)”.
[G.N. Nos. S 261/2020; S 262/2020; S 273/2020; S 274/2020; S 319/2020; S 357/2020; S 359/2020; S 428/2020; S 473/2020; S 542/2020; S 669/2020]
Made on 17 August 2020.
NG HOW YUE
Permanent Secretary
(Health Development),
Ministry of Health,
Singapore.
[AG/LEGIS/SL/65C/2020/2 Vol. 1]
(To be presented to Parliament under section 34(4) of the COVID‑19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020).