Arms and Explosives (Theatrical and Sporting Use — Exemption) Order 2020

No. S 795

Arms and Explosives Act

(CHAPTER 13)

Arms and Explosives
(Theatrical and Sporting Use —
Exemption) Order 2020

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 44B of the Arms and Explosives Act, the Minister for Home Affairs makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1. This Order is the Arms and Explosives (Theatrical and Sporting Use — Exemption) Order 2020 and comes into operation on 21 September 2020.

Definitions

2. In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires —

“actor” includes a stunt performer;

“bayonet” means a thrusting, striking or cutting weapon designed to be attached to or at the muzzle of a firearm;

“choreographed fight” means a martial art or sport (such as wushu or silat) or a weapon dance or like activity that involves 2 or more individuals —

(a)

doing any or a combination of any of the following according to a pre‑arranged or choreographed (but not improvised) sequence of movements:

(i)	grapple with, punch, kick or throw each other (including light contact);
(ii)	strike or hit each other, whether or not with a weapon; and

(b)

for the purpose of —

(i)	promoting the martial art, sport, weapon dance or activity (even if scores are not kept); or
(ii)	determining an individual’s proficiency in the martial art, sport, weapon dance or activity,

but does not include any martial art, sport, weapon dance or activity undertaken or performed for the primary objective of entertainment;

“combat sport” means a martial art, sport or activity that involves 2 or more individuals whose primary objective is to do any or a combination of any of the following:

(a)	grapple with, punch, kick or throw each other;
(b)	strike or hit each other, whether or not with a weapon,

and includes a light contact or grappling event for the purpose of promoting the combat sport (even if scores are not kept) or solely for the purpose of determining an individual’s proficiency in the combat sport, but excludes any choreographed fight;

“counter‑terrorism exercise” means an event organised (solely or jointly) by or on behalf of the Singapore Police Force, the Singapore Armed Forces or the Singapore Civil Defence Force to simulate a serious incident (within the meaning of the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act 2018 (Act 26 of 2018) for the purpose of training —

(a)	members of the Singapore Police Force or the Special Constabulary, or any other police force on duty in Singapore;
(b)	members of the Singapore Armed Forces and of any visiting forces lawfully present in Singapore; or
(c)	members of the Singapore Civil Defence Force,

in reducing the impact of the serious incident, controlling public disorder or restoring or maintaining public order after the occurrence of the serious incident or apprehending persons responsible for the serious incident;

“firearm” includes an automatic gun or automatic pistol, a quick‑firing or machine‑gun or other similar gun;

“non‑combat sport” means a martial art, sport or activity other than a combat sport, such as tai‑chi;

“stabbing weapon” means a sword, spear, spearhead or dagger but does not include a bayonet.

Licence not needed for acting in theatrical production

3.—(1) An individual is exempt from the requirement in section 13 of the Act to be authorised by a licence for having in the individual’s possession or under the individual’s control any firearm, bayonet or stabbing weapon if —

(a)

the firearm, bayonet or stabbing weapon is modified as follows:

(i)	the firearm is modified to use only blank cartridges or has been rendered permanently inoperable or the breech, chamber and barrel of which has been permanently sealed;
(ii)	the cutting edges and points of the bayonet or stabbing weapon are modified to be blunt and not capable of causing serious injury or death;

(b)

the individual is expressly authorised by a producer of a film, television or theatrical production, or an associate of such a producer, to use the firearm, bayonet or stabbing weapon in the course of his or her role acting in that film, television or theatrical production;

(c)

the firearm, bayonet or stabbing weapon is used by the individual only as an actor in a film, television or theatrical production during a rehearsal or performance for that production and while under the supervision and control of any of the following:

(i)

in the case of a firearm —

(A)	a producer of the film, television or theatrical production;
(B)	an associate of a producer in sub‑paragraph (A); or
(C)	an individual who is employed by a producer or an associate of a producer in sub‑paragraph (A) or (B) and who holds a valid licence under section 13 of the Act to possess and control the firearm;

(ii)

in the case of a bayonet or stabbing weapon — a person who is exempt under paragraph 4(1) or (2); and

(d)

the producer of the film, television or theatrical production or the associate of the producer (as the case may be) is —

(i)	if a firearm is involved — the holder of a valid licence under section 13 of the Act for the possession of the firearm for the purposes of that production; or
(ii)	if a bayonet or stabbing weapon is involved — exempt under paragraph 4 in respect of the bayonet or stabbing weapon for the purposes of that production.

(2) In sub‑paragraph (1) and paragraph 4, a person is treated as an associate of a producer of a film, television or theatrical production only if the person is engaged by the producer otherwise than under a contract of service to do any of the following in connection with the production of that film, television or theatrical production:

(a)	to supply any actors or other labour for gain or reward;
(b)	to do any work for gain or reward.

Licence not needed for bayonets, etc., for theatrical production

4.—(1) A person is exempt from the requirement in section 13 of the Act to be authorised by a licence for having in the person’s possession or under the person’s control any bayonet or stabbing weapon, and from the requirement in section 16(1) of the Act to be authorised by a licence to purchase a bayonet or stabbing weapon, if —

(a)

the person is —

(i)	a producer of a film, television or theatrical production; or
(ii)	an associate of a producer of a film, television or theatrical production;

(b)

the cutting edges and points of the bayonet or stabbing weapon are modified to be blunt and not capable of causing serious injury or death; and

(c)

the bayonet or stabbing weapon is acquired by a producer of the film, television or theatrical production or an associate of such a producer (as the case may be) for use by any actor in the film, television or theatrical production during a rehearsal or performance for that production in the course of the actor’s role in that production.

(2) An individual who —

(a)	is an employee of a producer of a film, television or theatrical production or an associate of such a producer exempt under sub‑paragraph (1) with respect to a bayonet or stabbing weapon acquired by the producer or the associate of such a producer (as the case may be) for use by any actor in the film, television or theatrical production; but
(b)	is not an actor in the film, television or theatrical production,

is exempt from the requirement in section 13 of the Act to be authorised by a licence for having in the individual’s possession or under the individual’s control that bayonet or stabbing weapon, in the course of the individual’s employment in connection with the film, television or theatrical production.

Licence not needed for role play in counter‑terrorism exercise

5. An individual is exempt from the requirement in section 13 of the Act to be authorised by a licence for having in the individual’s possession or under the individual’s control any firearm, bayonet or stabbing weapon if —

(a)

the firearm, bayonet or stabbing weapon is modified as follows:

(i)	the firearm is modified to use only blank cartridges or has been rendered permanently inoperable or the breech, chamber and barrel of which has been permanently sealed;
(ii)	the cutting edges and points of the bayonet or stabbing weapon are modified to be blunt and not capable of causing serious injury or death;

(b)

the firearm, bayonet or stabbing weapon is used (during a rehearsal or performance) by the individual playing a role in a counter‑terrorism exercise and while under the supervision and control of the organiser of the counter‑terrorism exercise; and

(c)

the individual is expressly authorised by the organiser of the counter‑terrorism exercise to use the firearm, bayonet or stabbing weapon in the course of his or her role.

Licence not needed for non‑combat sport or choreographed fight

6. An individual is exempt from the requirement in section 13 of the Act to be authorised by a licence for having in the individual’s possession or under the individual’s control any stabbing weapon, and from the requirement in section 16(1) of the Act to be authorised by a licence to purchase a stabbing weapon, if —

(a)

the cutting edges and points of the stabbing weapon are modified to be blunt and not capable of causing serious injury or death;

(b)

the stabbing weapon is used by the individual to practise, in any public place or otherwise, a non‑combat sport or choreographed fight —

(i)	recreationally;
(ii)	while participating (whether or not for reward) as a contestant in a contest involving the non‑combat sport or choreographed fight; or
(iii)	while training, or instructing an individual who is training, in the non‑combat sport or choreographed fight; and

(c)

the individual, when using the stabbing weapon under any of the circumstances mentioned in sub‑paragraph (b), takes all reasonably practicable steps to keep a distance (measured with the stabbing weapon in his or her arm fully extended) of at least 2 metres from any other individual in that place who is none of the following:

(i)	a contestant in a contest involving the non‑combat sport or choreographed fight where the individual is also a contestant;
(ii)	a trainer of the individual, or a trainee of the individual.

Made on 8 September 2020.

PANG KIN KEONG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Singapore.

[MHA 112/2/029; AG/LEGIS/SL/13/2020/3 Vol. 1]

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