Article 149-151A Constitution of Singapore 1963
Article 149, 150, 151, 151A of the Constitution of Singapore 1963 are under Part XII of the Constitution. Part XII is titled SPECIAL POWERS AGAINST SUBVERSION AND EMERGENCY POWERS.
Article 149 Singapore Constitution 1963
Legislation against subversion
(1) If an Act recites that action has been taken or threatened by any substantial body of persons, whether inside or outside Singapore —
(a) to cause, or to cause a substantial number of citizens to fear, organised violence against persons or property;
(b) to excite disaffection against the President or the Government;
(c) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or other classes of the population likely to cause violence;
(d) to procure the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of anything by law established; or
(e) which is prejudicial to the security of Singapore,
any provision of that law designed to stop or prevent that action or any amendment to that law or any provision in any law enacted under clause (3) is valid notwithstanding that it is inconsistent with Article 9, 11, 12, 13 or 14, or would, apart from this Article, be outside the legislative power of Parliament.
(2) A law containing such a recital as is mentioned in clause (1) shall, if not sooner repealed, cease to have effect if a resolution is passed by Parliament annulling such law, but without prejudice to anything previously done by virtue thereof or to the power of Parliament to make a new law under this Article.
(3) If, in respect of any proceedings whether instituted before or after 27 January 1989, any question arises in any court as to the validity of any decision made or act done in pursuance of any power conferred upon the President or the Minister by any law referred to in this Article, such question shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of any law as may be enacted by Parliament for this purpose; and nothing in Article 93 shall invalidate any law enacted pursuant to this clause.
Article 150 Singapore Constitution 1963
Proclamation of Emergency
(1) If the President is satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby the security or economic life of Singapore is threatened, he may issue a Proclamation of Emergency.
(2) If a Proclamation of Emergency is issued when Parliament is not sitting, the President shall summon Parliament as soon as practicable, and may, until Parliament is sitting, promulgate ordinances having the force of law, if satisfied that immediate action is required.
(3) A Proclamation of Emergency and any ordinance promulgated under clause (2) shall be presented to Parliament and, if not sooner revoked, shall cease to have effect if a resolution is passed by Parliament annulling such Proclamation or ordinance, but without prejudice to anything previously done by virtue thereof or to the power of the President to issue a new Proclamation under clause (1) or promulgate any ordinance under clause (2).
(4) Subject to clause (5)(b), while a Proclamation of Emergency is in force, Parliament may, notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, make laws with respect to any matter, if it appears to Parliament that the law is required by reason of the emergency; and any provision of this Constitution (except Articles 22E, 22H, 144(2) and 148A) or of any written law which requires any consent or concurrence to the passing of a law or any consultation with respect thereto, or which restricts the coming into force of a law after it is passed or the presentation of a Bill to the President for his assent, shall not apply to a Bill for such a law or an amendment to such a Bill.
(5) (a) Subject to paragraph (b), no provision of any ordinance promulgated under this Article, and no provision of any Act which is passed while a Proclamation of Emergency is in force and which declares that the law appears to Parliament to be required by reason of the emergency, shall be invalid on the ground of inconsistency with any provision of this Constitution.
(b) Paragraph (a) shall not validate any provision inconsistent with —
(i) [Deleted by Act 28 of 2016]
(ii) [Deleted by Act 28 of 2016]
(iii) the provisions of this Constitution relating to religion, citizenship or language.
(6) At the expiration of a period of 6 months beginning with the date on which a Proclamation of Emergency ceases to be in force, any ordinance promulgated in pursuance of the Proclamation and, to the extent that it could not have been validly made but for this Article, any law made while the Proclamation was in force, shall cease to have effect, except as to things done or omitted to be done before the expiration of that period.
Article 151 Singapore Constitution 1963
Restrictions on preventive detention
(1) Where any law or ordinance made or promulgated in pursuance of this Part provides for preventive detention —
(a) the authority on whose order any person is detained under that law or ordinance shall as soon as may be, inform him of the grounds for his detention and, subject to clause (3), the allegations of fact on which the order is based, and shall give him the opportunity of making representations against the order as soon as may be; and
(b) no citizen of Singapore shall be detained under that law or ordinance for a period exceeding 3 months unless an advisory board constituted as mentioned in clause (2) has considered any representations made by him under paragraph (a) and made recommendations thereon to the President.
(2) An advisory board constituted for the purposes of this Article shall consist of a chairman, who shall be appointed by the President and who shall be or have been, or be qualified to be, a Supreme Court Judge, and 2 other members, who shall be appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice.
(3) This Article does not require any authority to disclose facts the disclosure of which would, in its opinion, be against the national interest.
(4) Where an advisory board constituted for the purposes of this Article recommends the release of any person under any law or ordinance made or promulgated in pursuance of this Part, the person shall not be detained or further detained without the concurrence of the President, acting in his discretion, if the recommendations of the advisory board are not accepted by the authority on whose advice or order the person is detained.
Article 151A Singapore Constitution 1963
Defence and security measures
(1) Articles 22B(7), 22D(6), 148G(2) and (3) and 148H shall not apply to any defence and security measure.
(2) For the purposes of clause (1), a defence and security measure means any liability or proposed transaction which the Prime Minister and the Minister responsible for defence, on the recommendations of the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of Defence Force, certify to be necessary for the defence and security of Singapore, and any certificate under the hands of the Prime Minister and the Minister responsible for defence shall be conclusive evidence of the matters specified therein.
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