Singapore Law Blog

The Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, issued Revised Guidelines on MPs’ Involvement in Business. These covered MPs’ acceptance of directorships, rules for keeping business and politics separate, and requirements for reporting to the Party Whip details on directorships and fees received. They will help MPs who participate in business and take up company directorships to continue to conduct themselves appropriately.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today signed the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). This landmark agreement is India?s first ever CECA and is also the first comprehensive economic pact between Singapore and a South Asian country.

Singapore and India will be signing an Agreement concerning Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters in New Delhi today.

The US Supreme Court on 27 June 2005 ruled in MGM v Grokster that someone who distributes a device with the intention of promoting its use to infringe copyright, is liable for the infringing acts of third parties using the device.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) recently conducted a stamp duty audit on a few commercial buildings. In one building, it found that close to 9% of all the Lease Agreements were not duly stamped, as required under the Stamp Duty law. The tenants have since been asked to pay the stamp duties as well as the penalties imposed. The maximum penalty is four times the amount of duty.

Opening Address by Mr Shane Tregillis, Deputy Managing Director (Market Conduct), MAS, at the Real Estate Investment World Asia 2005, 4th Annual Conference, The Grand Hyatt, Singapore, 27th June 2005.

With effect from 24 June 2005, insolvent persons filing their Income & Expenditure statements will be required to login into the e-service via the IPTO portal using their Singpass. For users who do not have a Singpass, please liaise with the CPF Board or you may visit their website at www.cpf.gov.sg .

For insolvent persons who are foreigners and do not qualify for a Singpass, please contact us at mlaw_ipto_efiling@mlaw.gov.sg so that a Password can be issued to you. This Password will enable you to use our e-Services.

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) are conducting the final phase of the general review of the Electronic Transactions Act (ETA) and the Electronic Transactions (Certification Authority) Regulations ('CA Regulations'). IDA and AGC today issued a joint consultation paper seeking feedback on the regulation of Certification Authorities (CAs), liability of Internet service providers, electronic transactions with Government agencies, and implications of draft UNCITRAL Convention on the 'Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts'.

The Supreme Court will commence operations at the new Supreme Court building on 20 June 2005 after more than 65 years at its present premises along St Andrew's Road. The new building is situated behind the old Supreme Court and City Hall buildings, with its main entrance facing Parliament House.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) plans to table a Bill in Parliament to enact the proposed Health Products Act. The proposed Act will serve to amalgamate the existing controls for regulating medicines and health-related products, which are currently spread out in four separate Acts, into one omnibus Act.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on 13 June 2005 released a consultation paper on the draft Financial Advisers (Traded Endowment Policies (TEPs) and Traded Life Policies (TLPs) - Prescribed Investment Products) Regulations 2005.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on 10 June 2005 released a consultation paper on the proposed enhancements to the regulatory regime governing real estate investment trusts (REITs).

The CPF Minimum Sum, the Medisave Minimum Sum and the Medisave Contribution Ceiling will be raised with effect from 1 July 2005. The criteria for top-ups under the CPF Topping-up Scheme will also be liberalized.

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has set up its first Asian office in Singapore. The WIPO Singapore Office is at 29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore.

CEO Steve Jobs announced Monday, 6 June 2005, in the US that Apple will gradually shift its Mac line to Intel-based chips over the next two years.

The public consultation exercise for the draft Biological Agents and Toxins Bill was held from 11 April to 14 May 2005. In general, most respondents agreed with the need to regulate the safe handling of biological agents (BAs) and toxins through legislation. The draft Bill will be further fine-tuned based on these feedback and deliberations, and provisions clarified.

On 5th June 2005, Dr Wee Chong Jin passed away at the age of 87.

On 5th January 1963, Dr Wee Chong Jin became the first Asian to be appointed the Chief Justice of the State of Singapore. His appointment marked a break in the long-standing tradition (since 1867) of appointing British Chief Justices for Singapore, the last of whom was Sir Alan Rose.

Dr Wee was also the first Asian to be appointed to the Singapore Supreme Court Bench as a Puisne Judge in 1957.

After 27 years on the bench as Chief Justice, Dr Wee Chong Jin retired on 28 September 1990.

The Singapore Exchange unveiled on 31 May 2005 plans to tighten rules for companies listed on the bourse. The move follows on a recent spate of financial scandals, including the collapse of Chinese jet fuel trader China Aviation Oil.

The Online Business Licensing Service was awarded the UN Public Service Award 2005 in the category of "Application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Government: eGovernment". The award was given to recognise the Singapore Government's efforts to streamline, simplify and integrate the application of licences from various agencies, to save time and costs for enterprises.

Members of cartels ("whistleblower" members) having second thoughts about their involvement in price-fixing and other types of cartels, may help uncover such cartels under a leniency programme that the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) will implement in January next year. This programme forms part of the CCS investigation and enforcement strategy. The details of this programme are included in a set of four draft guidelines on the Competition Act that CCS issued today for public consultation.

Singapore has ratified the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and acceded to the Rotterdam Convention on the 'Prior Informed Consent' Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade. Both are international agreements on control of hazardous chemicals.

Singapore deposited its instruments of ratification and accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York on 24 May 2005. Both conventions will enter into force for Singapore on the 90th day after the date of deposit of the instruments.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) today signed a regulatory Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), the authority responsible for regulation of the insurance industry in China.

A new Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income was signed on 19 May 2005 between the Government of the Republic of Singapore and the Government of the State of Israel.

Singapore's Parliament on 16 May 2005 amended the Registration of Criminals Act to allow for convictions of certain offences to be 'spent' if the person remains crime-free for 5 years.

Parliament on 16 May 2005 passed amendments to the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, the Companies Act and the Bankruptcy Act to remove statutory requirements for evidence and proceedings to be recorded in writing. will pave the way for the digital audio recording of evidence.