No. S 202
Goods and Services Tax Act
(Chapter 117A)
Goods and Services Tax (Imports Relief) (Amendment) Order 1998
In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 24(1), (2) and (3) and 86(1) of the Goods and Services Tax Act, the Minister for Finance hereby makes the following Order:
Citation and commencement
1.  This Order may be cited as the Goods and Services Tax (Imports Relief) (Amendment) Order 1998 and shall come into operation on 3rd April 1998.
Amendment of Schedule
2.  The Schedule to the Goods and Services Tax (Imports Relief) Order (O 3) is amended by inserting, immediately after item 33, the following items:
34.Importer
Temporary import of scientific and technical goods approved by the Director-General
(a)That the importer satisfies the senior officer of customs that the goods are technically sophisticated and are not readily available in Singapore;
Inward permit
 
 
(b)that the goods are imported solely —
(i)for the purpose of being shown or demonstrated to solicit orders for such goods; or
(ii)to be used to carry out tests, experiments or demonstrations;
 
 
 
(c)that the goods are re‑exported within 3 months from the date of importation or within such further period as may be approved by the Director-General;
 
 
 
(d)that the importation and re-exportation of the goods be registered by the proper officer of customs at the time of import and re-export;
 
 
 
(e)that the goods are identified to the satisfaction of the proper officer of customs; and
 
 
 
(f)that the tax is payable if —
(i)the goods are sold, disposed of or transferred locally;
(ii)the goods are used for any gainful activity, except that a charge made for conducting the test, experiment or demonstration shall not invalidate the relief;
(iii)the goods have been imported with a view to modification or improvement; or
(iv)the goods are intended to be used to destruction, or it is known that as a result of the test they will not be worth re‑exporting.
 
35.National Heritage Board and owner
Artworks and antiques imported by the National Heritage Board on loan from the owner for display or exhibition
(a)That the National Heritage Board satisfies the senior officer of customs that the owner of the loaned artworks and antiques has applied for, but has not yet been granted, permanent residence in Singapore;
(b)that the loaned artworks and antiques are valued at not less than $2 million;
(c)that the period of loan to the National Heritage Board is at least —
(i)5 years if the value of the loaned artworks and antiques is not less than $4 million; or
(ii)10 years if the value of the loaned artworks and antiques is less than $4 million;
 
 
 
(d)that the National Heritage Board shall produce an inward permit for the loaned artworks and antiques in such form as the Director-General may determine;
Inward permit
 
 
(e)that the National Heritage Board shall keep records which shall be open to inspection by a proper officer of customs, showing details and movements of the loaned artworks and antiques during the period of loan;
 
 
 
(f)that the tax is payable if the loaned artworks and antiques are sold, disposed of or transferred locally;
 
 
 
(g)that at the end of the period of loan, the National Heritage Board shall —
 
 
 
(i)re-export the loaned artworks and antiques; or
 
 
 
(ii)return the loaned artworks and antiques to the owner in Singapore; and
 
 
 
(h)that the National Heritage Board shall not return the loaned artworks and antiques to the owner in Singapore unless the owner —
 
 
 
(i)is, at the time of the return of the loaned artworks and antiques, a permanent resident or a citizen of Singapore;
 
 
 
(ii)has transferred his residence to Singapore during the period of the loan and continues to be resident in Singapore at the end of the period of the loan;
 
 
 
(iii)has been granted a relief certificate in respect of the payment of goods and services tax on those loaned artworks and antiques; and
Relief certificate
 
 
(iv)gives an undertaking not to dispose of the loaned artworks and antiques within 3 months from the grant of the relief certificate referred to in sub-paragraph (iii).
 
”.
Made this 30th day of March 1998.
NGIAM TONG DOW
Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Finance,
Singapore.
[MF(R)R60.1.029; Customs CF 0105/86 Pt. F/Vol. 7 (12); AG/LEG/SL/117A/97/4 Vol. 1]
(To be presented to Parliament under section 86(2) of the Goods and Services Tax Act).