National Parks Act
(CHAPTER 198A, Section 40)
National Parks Regulations
Rg 1
G.N. No. S 324/1990

REVISED EDITION 1990
(25th March 1992)
[1st September 1990]
Citation
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the National Parks Regulations.
Definitions
2.  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
“chief executive officer” means the chief executive officer of the Board appointed under section 16 of the Act;
“controlled drug” means a controlled drug within the meaning of the Misuse of Drugs Act [Cap. 185];
“designated lands” means the lands designated as national parks or nature reserves in the First Schedule to the Act;
“explosive” means explosive within the meaning of the Arms and Explosives Act [Cap. 13];
“heavy vehicle” means any vehicle the weight of which unladen exceeds 2,500 kilograms;
“industrial waste” means any waste produced in the course of or as the waste product or any trade, business, manufacture or building construction;
“park” means, in respect of a vehicle, to bring the vehicle to a stationary position and cause it to wait for any purpose;
“tout” means to solicit any person in connection with any trade or business, whether or not carried on by the person so soliciting;
“trap” means any contrivance, device or thing by means of which any animal can be captured;
“vehicle” means a vehicle, whether mechanically propelled or otherwise, except a perambulator, a child’s toy vehicle used solely by a child or an invalid carriage the weight of which unladen does not exceed 250 kilograms and which is specially designed and constructed and not merely adapted for the use of persons suffering from some physical defect or disability and is used solely by such persons;
“weapon” means any firearm or ammunition therefor or any instrument capable of being used to kill or injure any animal.
Prohibited acts
3.—(1)  No person shall —
(a)enter or leave any fenced, hedged or walled area of the designated lands except through an entrance or exit provided for that purpose;
(b)be in possession of or consume any controlled drug without lawful authority in the designated lands;
(c)enter or remain in the designated lands while in a state of intoxication;
(d)throw, deposit or leave behind any household refuse or industrial waste in the designated lands;
(e)throw, deposit or leave behind any dirt, refuse, litter, bottle, can, food container, food wrapper, glass, particles of food, article or thing in the designated lands except in a litter bin provided for that purpose; or
(f)cause any body of water in the designated lands to be fouled.
(2)  No person shall whilst in the designated lands —
(a)gamble or assist in gambling;
(b)beg, tout, solicit or commit a nuisance;
(c)indecently expose his person in a manner likely to insult or cause annoyance to any other person;
(d)enter or attempt to enter or look into a public convenience provided for the opposite sex except in the course of a lawful duty;
(e)soil, deface, damage or destroy any building, structure, park furniture, ornament or equipment;
(f)unreasonably disturb or create a nuisance to another person in his lawful use of the designated lands;
(g)throw or discharge any stone or projectile, operate any model racing car, model aeroplane or other model vehicle or do any act or use any substance, article or object in any manner likely to cause injury to any person or animal, or damage to any plant or property; or
(h)participate in any game or perform any activity likely to unreasonably disturb or to create a nuisance to another person in his lawful use of the designated lands or to damage any plant or property.
Acts prohibited except with permission of chief executive officer
4.—(1)  No person shall, without the permission of the chief executive officer, whilst in the designated lands —
(a)use a public address system or other apparatus for the production or reproduction of sound;
(b)sell, let, offer or display for sale or hire any thing, or perform or offer to perform any service for reward;
(c)deliver a public address or assemble for the purpose of holding or taking part in a religious or political meeting or demonstration;
(d)kindle or cause any fire;
(e)discharge any explosive, cracker or weapon;
(f)climb any wall, fence, barrier, railing, hedge, tree, post or other structure;
(g)hang or affix any bill, placard, notice, lights or other item on any plant, tree, building, seat, post, ornament, barrier, railing, wall, fence or other structure;
(h)erect any post, railing, fence, pole, tent, booth, stand, stall or other structure;
(i)remove or displace any seat, barrier, railing, post, structure, ornament or any implement used in the laying out or maintenance of the designated lands;
(j)bathe, wade or wash in any lake, ornamental fountain or pond; or
(k)fly, or attempt to fly, any kite.
(2)  No person shall without the permission of the chief executive officer —
(a)enter or remain in the designated lands except during such times, as the chief executive officer may determine, when the designated lands are open to the public;
(b)bring into the designated lands or be in possession in the designated lands of any explosive, weapon, trap, net, snare, poison or any other substance or instrument to capture, destroy or injure any animal or to damage any plant; or
(c)bring or cause to be brought into the designated lands any boat, sampan, craft or other vessel.
Prohibitions relating to dogs and other animals
5.—(1)  Except with the permission of the chief executive officer, no person shall bring or cause to be brought into the designated lands any animal other than a dog.
(2)  No person shall cause or permit a dog belonging to him or in his charge to enter or remain in the designated lands unless the dog is on a leash and is kept under proper control and is restrained from soiling the designated lands or causing annoyance or a nuisance to any person or animal or damage to any plant or property.
(3)  Notwithstanding paragraph (2), where the chief executive officer has erected a notice in a conspicuous place at each of the entrances to any part of the designated lands prohibiting the entry of dogs into that part of the designated lands, no person shall cause or permit a dog belonging to him or in his charge to enter or remain in that part of the designated lands.
(4)  No person shall cause or permit any animal belonging to him or in his charge to enter any public convenience, lake, pond, fountain or stream in the designated lands.
Prohibitions relating to vehicles
6.  No person shall without the permission of the chief executive officer —
(a)bring or cause to be brought into, use, ride or drive in the designated lands any vehicle except in any area, road or track designated by notice by the chief executive officer to be open to vehicles of a description to which that vehicle belongs;
(b)bring into or cause to be brought into, drive, park, station or use any heavy vehicle in the designated lands;
(c)park or leave any vehicle in the designated lands except within the boundaries of parking lots provided for that purpose by the chief executive officer; or
(d)obstruct any gate, door, entrance, exit, driveway, road or track in the designated lands or any access to the designated lands or to any building in the designated lands.
Presumption of guilt of owner of vehicle
7.—(1)  When an offence under regulation 6 is committed, the person who at the time of the commission of the offence is the owner of any vehicle in respect of which the offence is committed shall be guilty of the offence in all respects as if he were the actual offender guilty of the offence unless the court is satisfied that the vehicle was at the relevant time a stolen vehicle or a vehicle illegally taken or used.
(2)  Nothing in this section shall affect the liability of the actual offender except that where a penalty has been imposed on or recovered from a person in relation to the offence no further penalty shall be imposed or recovered from any other person in relation thereto.
(3)  No owner of a vehicle shall, by virtue of paragraph (1), be guilty of an offence if he —
(a)within 14 days after service on him of a notice alleging that he has been guilty of such offence, furnishes by statutory declaration to the chief executive officer the name and address of the person who was in charge of the vehicle at all relevant times relating to the offence concerned; or
(b)satisfies the court that he did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained such name and address.
(4)  In this regulation, “owner” has the same meaning as in section 29(2) of the Act.
Removal, sale and disposal of vehicle or thing
8.—(1)  When any vehicle or thing is removed by the Board under section 36 of the Act, the chief executive officer shall, with all reasonable despatch, give notice in writing to the owner (if the name and address of the owner are known to him) of the removal, and if the vehicle or thing is not claimed by its owner within one month of the date of its removal the chief executive officer, after giving one month’s notice in the Gazette of his intention to do so, may sell or otherwise dispose of any vehicle or thing.
(2)  Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the chief executive officer may forthwith sell or dispose of any perishable thing removed by the Board under section 36 of the Act unless that perishable thing has been claimed by its owner.
(3)  The proceeds of the sale or disposal of any vehicle or thing sold pursuant to this regulation shall be applied in payment of any expenses incurred by the Board in connection with the sale or disposal of that vehicle or thing and thereafter shall be applied in payment of all charges and fines payable under the Act and any regulations made thereunder and the surplus, if any, shall be paid to the owner of the vehicle or thing, or if not claimed by the owner of the vehicle or thing within 12 months of the date of the sale or disposal shall be forfeited to the Board.
(4)  The notice referred to in paragraph (1) may be served —
(a)by delivering it to the owner or by delivering it at the last known place of abode of the owner to some adult member or employee of his family;
(b)by leaving it at the usual or last known place of abode or business of the owner in a cover addressed to him; or
(c)by forwarding it by post in a prepaid letter addressed to the owner at his usual or last known place of abode or business.
(5)  Any expenses incurred in connection with the sale or disposal of any vehicle or thing pursuant to this regulation shall be recoverable as a debt due to the Board from the owner of that vehicle or thing.
Power to order person to leave designated lands
9.  A police officer, employee or agent of the Board may order any person who contravenes or who in his opinion is likely to contravene the Act or any of these Regulations to leave the designated lands.
Penalty
10.  Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.
Exemption
11.  These Regulations shall not apply to officers, appointed under section 16 of the Act, who are acting in the discharge of their duties.
[G.N. No. S 324/1990]