Singapore legislation
Section 33
Section 33
Power to examine, secure attendance, etc.
(1)
For the purposes of investigating any offence under this Act or any regulations made under this Act, an inspecting officer may do all or any of the following:
examine orally any person who appears to be acquainted with any of the facts or circumstances of the case —
whether before or after that person or anyone else is charged with an offence in connection with the case; and
whether or not the person is to be called as a witness in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding in connection with the case;
issue a written notice requiring any person within the limits of Singapore, who appears to be acquainted with any of the facts or circumstances of the case, to attend before the inspecting officer, and that person must comply with the written notice;
require any person, whom the inspecting officer has reason to believe has any document or article in his or her possession, custody or control relevant to the investigation, to produce that document or article.
(2)
Any person examined under this section is bound to state truly what he or she knows of the facts and circumstances of the case, except that he or she need not say anything that might expose him or her to a criminal charge, penalty or forfeiture.
(3)
A statement made by any person examined under this section must —
be reduced to writing;
be read over to him or her;
if he or she does not understand English, be interpreted in a language that he or she understands; and
after correction (if necessary), be signed by him or her.
(4)
If any person fails to comply with a written notice issued to him or her by an inspecting officer under subsection (1)(b), the inspecting officer may report the failure to a Magistrate who may then, in his or her discretion, issue a warrant ordering the person to comply with the written notice.
(5)
A person must not, without reasonable excuse, refuse to comply with any requirement made of him or her under subsection (1)(c) by an inspecting officer.
(6)
Subject to section 31(5), an inspecting officer may take possession or make copies of any document or article produced to him or her under subsection (1)(c) for further investigation.[19N