No. S 6
Income Tax Act
(CHAPTER 134)
Income Tax
(Exemption of Income of
Prescribed Persons Arising from Funds
Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore)
Regulations 2010
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13CA of the Income Tax Act, the Minister for Finance hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation and commencement
1.—(1)  These Regulations may be cited as the Income Tax (Exemption of Income of Prescribed Persons Arising from Funds Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore) Regulations 2010 and shall be deemed to have come into operation on 1st September 2007.
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(2)  No liability to pay any penalty under section 13D of the Act shall arise in respect of any exemption from tax prior to 7th January 2010.
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Definitions
2.—(1)  In these Regulations —
“approved start-up fund manager” means a start-up fund manager approved under paragraph (4);
“bona fide entity” means an entity that is not a non-bona fide entity;
“commodity derivatives” means derivatives the payoffs of which are wholly linked to the payoffs or performance of the underlying commodity;
[S 262/2013 wef 17/02/2012]
“compensatory payments” has the same meaning as in section 10H(12) of the Act;
[S 934/2022 wef 31/12/2021]
“designated investments” means —
(a)[Deleted by S 485/2021 wef 01/07/2021]
(b)[Deleted by S 485/2021 wef 01/07/2021]
(c)in relation to income derived on or after 21 February 2014, investments specified in Part A of the Third Schedule;
[S 384/2016 wef 21/02/2014]
“designated person” means —
(a)GIC Private Limited, as renamed from time to time;
(b)any of the following companies as renamed from time to time, but only if the company is wholly owned (directly or indirectly) by the Minister in the Minister’s capacity as a corporation established under the Minister for Finance (Incorporation) Act 1959:
(i)GIC (Ventures) Pte. Ltd.;
(ii)GIC (Realty) Private Limited;
(iii)Eurovest Pte Ltd;
[S 934/2022 wef 31/12/2021]
(c)a company that is wholly owned (directly or indirectly) by any company that is a designated person by reason of paragraph (b);
(d)any other company that is wholly owned (directly or indirectly) by the Minister in the Minister’s capacity as a corporation established under the Minister for Finance (Incorporation) Act 1959, and is approved by the Minister or an authorised body; or
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(e)any statutory board;
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“emission derivatives” means derivatives the payoffs of which are wholly linked to the payoffs or performance of the underlying emission allowances;
[S 262/2013 wef 17/02/2012]
“financial derivatives” means derivatives the payoffs of which are linked, whether in whole or in part, to the payoffs or performance of any financial assets, securities, financial instruments or indices, but excludes derivatives the payoffs of which are wholly linked to the payoffs or performance of commodities;
[S 262/2013 wef 17/02/2012]
“financial sector incentive company” has the same meaning as in section 43J of the Act;
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“freight derivatives” means derivatives the payoffs of which are wholly linked to the payoffs or performance of the underlying freight rates;
[S 262/2013 wef 17/02/2012]
“insolvency proceedings” means winding-up, bankruptcy, administration, provisional supervision or reorganisation (by way of voluntary arrangement, scheme of arrangement or otherwise) of a person under the laws of any jurisdiction;
[S 498/2010 wef 22/01/2009]
“Islamic debt securities” has the same meaning as in section 43H(4) of the Act;
[S 498/2010 wef 22/01/2009]
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“liquidation claims” means claims or other causes of actions (including interests, rights and demands) of creditors or equity holders of any person against such person, however arising, on cash or other tangible or intangible assets, from a person upon and in connection with any insolvency proceeding of that person;
[S 498/2010 wef 22/01/2009]
“prescribed person” —
(a)in relation to an individual, means an individual who, at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment —
(i)is neither a Singapore citizen nor resident in Singapore; and
(ii)is the beneficial owner of funds managed in Singapore by any fund manager;
(b)in relation to a company, means a company in relation to which all the following are satisfied at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment:
(i)the company is not resident in Singapore;
(ii)the company does not have a permanent establishment in Singapore (other than a fund manager);
(iii)the company does not carry on any business in Singapore;
(iv)the aggregate value of the company’s issued securities beneficially owned (directly or indirectly) by Singapore persons is less than 100%;
(v)the income of the company is not derived from any tax‑exempt investment; and
(c)in relation to a trustee of a trust fund, means a trustee of a trust fund in relation to whom all the conditions in sub‑paragraph (i) or (ii) (as the case may be) are satisfied at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment:
(i)in the case of income derived in a basis period that ends at any time before 1 April 2014 —
(A)the trustee is not a resident in Singapore, a Singapore citizen or a permanent establishment in Singapore;
(B)the trustee does not, in its capacity as trustee of the trust fund, have a permanent establishment in Singapore (other than a fund manager for that trust fund);
(C)the trustee does not, in its capacity as trustee of the trust fund, carry on any business in Singapore apart from acting as such trustee;
(D)the income derived by the trustee in its capacity as trustee of the trust fund is not derived from any tax‑exempt investment; and
(E)the aggregate value of the trust fund beneficially held (directly or indirectly) by Singapore persons is less than 100%;
(ii)in the case of income derived in a basis period other than that mentioned in sub‑paragraph (i) —
(A)the trustee does not, in its capacity as trustee of the trust fund, have a permanent establishment in Singapore (other than a fund manager for that trust fund);
(B)the trustee does not, in its capacity as trustee of the trust fund, carry on any business in Singapore apart from acting as such trustee;
(C)the income derived by the trustee in its capacity as trustee of the trust fund is not derived from any tax‑exempt investment; and
(D)the aggregate value of the trust fund beneficially held (directly or indirectly) by Singapore persons is less than 100%;
[S 384/2016 wef 01/04/2014]
“qualifying debt securities” has the same meaning as in section 13(16) of the Act;
“registered business trust” has the same meaning as in the Business Trusts Act 2004;
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“securities lending or repurchase arrangement” has the same meaning as in section 10H(12) of the Act;
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“Singapore person”, in relation to paragraph (b) or (c) of the definition of “prescribed person”, means a person who is a Singapore citizen, resident in Singapore or permanent establishment in Singapore, but does not include —
(a)a company which is approved under section 13O of the Act and which, at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment for which the income of a prescribed person is exempt from tax under section 13D of the Act  —
(i)beneficially owns directly, 100% of the total value of all issued securities of the prescribed person or the total value of the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee, as the case may be; and
(ii)satisfies the conditions in regulation 3(2) of the Income Tax (Exemption of Income of Approved Companies Arising from Funds Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore) Regulations 2010 (G.N. No. S 8/2010);
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(b)a designated person; or
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(c)an approved person under section 13U of the Act and which, at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment for which the income of a prescribed person is exempt from tax under section 13D of the Act  —
(i)beneficially owns directly, 100% of the total value of all issued securities of the prescribed person or the total value of the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee, as the case may be; and
(ii)satisfies the conditions in regulation 3(2) of the Income Tax (Exemption of Income Arising from Funds Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore) Regulations 2010 (G.N. No. S 414/2010);
[S 384/2016 wef 07/07/2010]
[S 346/2012 wef 01/04/2009]
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“specified income” means —
(a)[Deleted by S 485/2021 wef 01/07/2021]
(b)[Deleted by S 485/2021 wef 01/07/2021]
(c)in relation to income derived on or after 21 February 2014, income specified in Part B of the Third Schedule;
[S 384/2016 wef 21/02/2014]
“structured product” has the same meaning as in section 13(16) of the Act;
[S 498/2010 wef 22/01/2009]
“tax-exempt investment”  —
(a)in the case of paragraph (b) of the definition of “prescribed person”, means an investment transferred to the company mentioned in that paragraph (other than by way of a sale on market terms and conditions) from a person carrying on business in Singapore, where the income derived by that person from that investment was not, or would not have been if not for the transfer, exempt from tax; and
(b)in the case of paragraph (c) of the definition of “prescribed person”, means an investment transferred to the trustee of the trust fund mentioned in that paragraph in the trustee’s capacity as such trustee (other than by way of a sale on market terms and conditions) from a person carrying on business in Singapore, where the income derived by that person from that investment was not, or would not have been if not for the transfer, exempt from tax;
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“unit” means a right or interest (whether described as a unit, a sub-unit or otherwise) which may be acquired under a unit trust;
“unit trust” means any trust established for the purpose, or having the effect, of providing facilities for the participation by persons as beneficiaries under a trust, in profits or income arising from the acquisition, management or disposal of securities or any other property.
(2)  The requirement in paragraph (b)(iv) of the definition of “prescribed person” in paragraph (1) relating to beneficial ownership of issued securities of a company does not apply to a fund constituted as a company and which is not resident in Singapore, for a period of 12 months from the date of its incorporation if —
(a)the company is incorporated at any time between 18th February 2005 and 17th February 2010 (both dates inclusive);
(b)the date of its incorporation is stated in its charter, statute or memorandum and articles or other instrument constituting it or defining its constitution;
(c)the company was incorporated by a fund manager who was an approved start-up fund manager at the time of incorporation; and
(d)the company is not incorporated with the avoidance or reduction of tax chargeable under the Act as its main purpose or one of its main purposes.
(3)  The requirement in paragraph (c) of the definition of “prescribed person” in paragraph (1) relating to beneficial holding of the value of a trust fund does not apply to a trust fund, for a period of 12 months from the date of its constitution if —
(a)the fund is constituted at any time between 18th February 2005 and 17th February 2010 (both dates inclusive);
(b)the date of its constitution is stated in the relevant trust instrument;
(c)it was constituted by a fund manager who was an approved start-up fund manager at the time of constitution; and
(d)it is not constituted with the avoidance or reduction of tax chargeable under the Act as its main purpose or one of its main purposes.
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(4)  For the purpose of paragraphs (2) and (3), the Minister or such persons as he may appoint may approve a fund manager as an approved start-up fund manager, and such approval shall be for a period not exceeding 3 years.
(5)  For the purposes of section 13D of the Act and these Regulations, issued securities include —
(a)any right under a contract for differences, or under any other contract the purpose or pretended purpose of which is to secure a profit or avoid a loss by reference to fluctuations, in —
(i)the value or price of issued debentures, stocks or shares;
(ii)the value or price of any group of any such debentures, stocks or shares; or
(iii)an index of any such debentures, stocks or shares; and
(b)derivatives of a buy-sell nature for funding purpose,
but does not include —
(A)futures contracts which are traded on a futures market;
(B)bills of exchange;
(C)promissory notes; or
(D)certificates of deposit issued by a bank or finance company.
[S 934/2022 wef 31/12/2021]
(6)  Any reference in section 13D of the Act and these Regulations to the value of issued securities of a company of the type described in paragraph (5), where the relevant day is before 1 April 2014, is a reference to the value of those securities —
(a)at the time of their issue by the company; or
(b)in the case of derivatives of a buy-sell nature, at the time of their buy-sell transaction.
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(6A)  Any reference in these Regulations to the value of issued securities of a company of the type described in paragraph (5), where the relevant day is on or after 1 April 2014, is a reference to the net asset value of those securities on the relevant day.
[S 384/2016 wef 01/04/2014]
(6B)  In paragraphs (6) and (6A), “relevant day”, in relation to a company, is the last day of the basis period of the company for the year of assessment in question.
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(7)  For the purposes of section 13D of the Act and these Regulations, “prescribed percentage” means —
(a)where the prescribed person or the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee has less than 10 relevant owners or relevant beneficiaries — 30%; or
(b)where the prescribed person or the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee has at least 10 relevant owners or relevant beneficiaries — 50%.
[S 934/2022 wef 31/12/2021]
Exemption from tax of income under section 13D of Act
3.  Subject to regulation 4, there shall be exempt from tax the specified income derived by a prescribed person from funds managed in Singapore by any fund manager in respect of designated investments.
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No deduction in respect of loss arising from designated investments
4.  Notwithstanding anything in these Regulations, no deduction shall be allowed under the Act to —
(a)any prescribed person in respect of any loss arising from —
(i)the sale, maturity, redemption or transfer of both legal and beneficial ownership (other than sale or by way of a securities lending and repurchase arrangement) of any designated investments if any gains or profits realised from such sale, maturity, redemption or transfer would have been exempt from tax under regulation 3; and
[S 498/2010 wef 22/01/2009]
(ii)any transaction, other than those falling under sub-paragraph (i), in respect of any designated investments if any gains or profits from such transaction would have been exempt from tax under regulation 3;
[S 346/2012 wef 01/09/2007]
(b)any relevant owner or relevant beneficiary, as the case may be, of any prescribed person or the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee in respect of any loss arising from sales or transactions of the types described in paragraph (a) which are otherwise attributable to such relevant owner or relevant beneficiary.
Persons exempted from application of certain provisions
5.—(1)  Section 13D(2) or (4) of the Act shall not apply to a relevant owner or relevant beneficiary, as the case may be, who is —
(a)an individual;
(b)a bona fide entity not resident in Singapore who does not have a permanent establishment in Singapore (other than a fund manager) and does not carry on a business in Singapore;
(c)a bona fide entity not resident in Singapore (excluding a permanent establishment in Singapore) who carries on an operation in Singapore through a permanent establishment in Singapore where the funds used by the entity to invest directly or indirectly in the prescribed person or the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee are not obtained from such operation;
[S 346/2012 wef 01/09/2007]
(d)a designated person;
[S 346/2012 wef 01/09/2007]
(e)an approved company under section 13O of the Act which, at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment for which the income of a prescribed person is exempt from tax under section 13D of the Act  —
(i)beneficially owns directly, 100% of the total value of all issued securities of the prescribed person or the total value of the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee, as the case may be; and
(ii)satisfies the conditions in regulation 3(2) of the Income Tax (Exemption of Income of Approved Companies Arising from Funds Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore) Regulations 2010 (G.N. No. S 8/2010); or
[S 346/2012 wef 01/04/2009]
[S 346/2012 wef 01/09/2007]
[S 934/2022 wef 31/12/2021]
(f)an approved person under section 13U of the Act which, at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment for which the income of a prescribed person is exempt from tax under section 13D of the Act  —
(i)[Deleted by S 644/2013 wef 01/04/2009]
(ii)satisfies the conditions in regulation 3(2) of the Income Tax (Exemption of Income Arising from Funds Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore) Regulations 2010 (G.N. No. S 414/2010).
[S 384/2016 wef 07/07/2010]
[S 346/2012 wef 01/04/2009]
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(2)  Section 13D(6) of the Act shall not apply to a liable person referred to in that provision if the person is —
(a)an individual;
(b)a bona fide entity not resident in Singapore who does not have a permanent establishment in Singapore (other than a fund manager) and does not carry on a business in Singapore;
(c)a bona fide entity not resident in Singapore (excluding a permanent establishment in Singapore) who carries on an operation in Singapore through a permanent establishment in Singapore where the funds used by the entity to invest directly or indirectly in the prescribed person or the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee are not obtained from such operation;
[S 346/2012 wef 01/09/2007]
(d)a designated person;
[S 346/2012 wef 01/09/2007]
(e)an approved company under section 13O of the Act which, at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment for which the income of a prescribed person is exempt from tax under section 13D of the Act  —
(i)beneficially owns directly, 100% of the total value of all issued securities of the prescribed person or the total value of the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee, as the case may be; and
(ii)satisfies the conditions in regulation 3(2) of the Income Tax (Exemption of Income of Approved Companies Arising from Funds Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore) Regulations 2010; or
[S 346/2012 wef 01/04/2009]
[S 346/2012 wef 01/09/2007]
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(f)an approved person under section 13U of the Act which, at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment for which the income of the prescribed person is exempt from tax under section 13D of the Act  —
(i)[Deleted by S 644/2013 wef 01/04/2009]
(ii)satisfies the conditions in regulation 3(2) of the Income Tax (Exemption of Income Arising from Funds Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore) Regulations 2010.
[S 384/2016 wef 07/07/2010]
[S 346/2012 wef 01/04/2009]
[S 346/2012 wef 01/09/2007]
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(3)  For the purposes of section 13D(2), (4) and (6) of the Act and regulation 2(7), where the issued securities, value of trust fund or equity interest, as the case may be, is held by a trustee of a trust, the relevant owner, relevant beneficiary or person shall be the beneficiary of the trust administered by the trustee.
[S 934/2022 wef 31/12/2021]
(4)  For the purposes of paragraph (3), if a person is a beneficiary of a trust (referred to in this paragraph as a first level trust entity) whose trustee holds (including by virtue of one or more applications of this paragraph), in its capacity as trustee of the first level trust entity, interests of another trust (referred to in this paragraph as a second level trust entity), then the person is taken to beneficially own interests of the second level trust entity; and the percentage which the value of those interests bears to the total value of all interests of the second level trust entity shall be computed in accordance with the following formula:
where A
is the percentage which the value of the interest of the first level trust entity beneficially owned by the person bears to the total value of all interests of the first level trust entity; and
B
is the percentage which the value of the interest of the second level trust entity beneficially owned by the trustee of the first level trust entity bears to the total value of all interests of the second level trust entity.
Definition of associate
6.—(1)  For the purposes of section 13D of the Act and subject to paragraph (2), a person (“P1”) is an associate of another person (“P2”), where P1 or P2 are neither designated persons nor individuals —
(a)where P1 is a company and —
(i)where P2 is another company —
(A)P1 beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P2;
(B)P2 beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P1; or
(C)a third person beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P1 and at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P2;
(ii)where P2 is a company and a beneficiary of a trust —
(A)P1 beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P2;
(B)P2 beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P1; or
(C)a third person beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P1 and at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P2; and
(b)where P1 is a company and is a beneficiary of a trust (T1) and where P2 is a company and is a beneficiary of another trust (T2) —
(i)P1 beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P2;
(ii)P2 beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P1; or
(iii)a third person beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P1 and at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P2.
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(2)  Notwithstanding anything in paragraph (1), P1 is not an associate of P2 in the following cases:
(a)where —
(i)either P1 or P2 is an entity listed on an exchange in Singapore or elsewhere;
(ii)P1 does not beneficially own, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P2; and
(iii)P2 does not beneficially own, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P1;
[S 644/2013 wef 01/04/2009]
(b)where —
(i)no third person (other than an individual or a designated person) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the total value of issued securities of P1 and at least 25% of the total value of issued securities of P2; and
(ii)at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P1 and at least 25% of the total value of the issued securities of P2 are owned either directly by an individual or a designated person, or indirectly through a nominee company or a trust fund by an individual or a designated person; or
[S 644/2013 wef 01/04/2009]
(c)where P1 is an approved person under section 13U of the Act which, at all times during the basis period for the year of assessment for which the income of a prescribed person is exempt from tax under section 13D of the Act  —
(i)beneficially owns directly —
(A)if the prescribed person is a company, any of the issued securities of the company; or
(B)if the prescribed person is a trustee of a trust fund, any part of the trust fund; and
(ii)satisfies all the conditions in regulation 3(2) of the Income Tax (Exemption of Income Arising from Funds Managed by Fund Manager in Singapore) Regulations 2010 (G.N. No. S 414/2010).
[S 644/2013 wef 01/04/2009]
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Annual statement and annual declaration
7.—(1)  Where a prescribed person derives in any basis period any income exempt from tax under regulation 3, any fund manager of the prescribed person shall issue to every relevant owner or relevant beneficiary, as the case may be, of the prescribed person or the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee a statement for the basis period.
(2)  The statement issued under paragraph (1) shall include —
(a)the gains or profits as reflected in the audited account of the prescribed person for the basis period;
(b)the total value of the issued securities (the prescribed person being a company), or the total value of the trust fund (the prescribed person being the trustee of the trust fund), as the case may be, on the relevant day;
(c)the total value of the issued securities (the prescribed person being a company), or the total value of the trust fund (the prescribed person being the trustee of the trust fund), as the case may be, held by the relevant owner or relevant beneficiary, as the case may be, on the relevant day; and
(d)whether the number of relevant owner or relevant beneficiary, as the case may be, of the prescribed person or the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee is less than 10 on the relevant day.
(3)  The Minister or an authorised body may, in any particular case, waive the requirement under paragraph (1), subject to such conditions as the Minister or authorised body may impose.
[S 934/2022 wef 06/12/2022]
(4)  Any fund manager of the prescribed person shall, within one month after the date of issue of the audited account of the prescribed person relating to any basis period in which the relevant day falls or such extended time as the Comptroller may allow —
(a)submit a declaration to the Comptroller, in such form as the Comptroller may specify, where the prescribed person or the trust fund for which the prescribed person is the trustee has any relevant owner or relevant beneficiary to whom section 13D(2) or (4) of the Act applies for the basis period; and
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(b)provide such details of the relevant owner or relevant beneficiary as may be specified by the Comptroller.
(5)  Where a relevant owner or relevant beneficiary is liable to pay to the Comptroller a penalty under section 13D of the Act, he shall declare the amount of penalty liable to be paid in its return of income for the year of assessment relating to the basis period of the relevant owner or relevant beneficiary in which the relevant day falls.
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(6)  Paragraphs (1) and (4) shall not apply where the relevant owner or the relevant beneficiary is an approved company under section 13O of the Act referred to in regulation 5(1)(e) or an approved person under section 13U of the Act referred to in regulation 5(1)(f), as the case may be.
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[S 346/2012 wef 01/04/2009]
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Made this 4th day of January 2010.
PETER ONG
Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Finance,
Singapore.
[R032.19.4.V32; AG/LEG/SL/134/2005/29 Vol. 1]