5.—(1) An appellant may appeal to the Minister by lodging with the secretary —
(a)
within the period stipulated in the relevant provision of the Act, a notice of appeal containing a brief description of the decision appealed against, in Form 1 in the Schedule; and
(b)
within 21 days from the date on which such notice of appeal was lodged, a petition of appeal containing particulars of the decision appealed against, the issues arising in the appeal and the reasons for the appeal, in Form 2 in the Schedule.
(2) The Minister may, in his discretion and subject to such conditions as he may impose, accept a notice of appeal or petition of appeal lodged by the appellant after the expiration of the period specified in paragraph (1)(a) or (b), if the Minister is satisfied that the appellant was unable to lodge the notice of appeal or petition of appeal, as the case may be, within the specified period due to the appellant’s absence from Singapore, illness, or any other reason where the Minister is satisfied that there has not been any unreasonable delay on the part of the appellant.
(3) The secretary shall, upon receipt of any notice of appeal or petition of appeal, immediately forward such document to the Minister and a copy of such document to the Authority.
(4) Where the Minister refers an appeal to the Appeal Advisory Committee, the secretary shall —
(a)
notify the Authority and the appellant that an appeal against the decision of the Authority has been referred by the Minister to the Committee; and
(b)
forward a copy of the notice of appeal and, as soon as it is available, the petition of appeal to the Committee.
(5) Upon receipt of the notice referred to in paragraph (4)(a), the Authority may provide the Appeal Advisory Committee with its reasons for the decision being appealed against.
(6) The Appeal Advisory Committee shall give the Authority and the appellant (or his advocate and solicitor) a reasonable opportunity to appear and be heard before the Committee.