Singapore legislation

Section 16

of Undesirable Publications Act 1967

Section 16

Examination of persons entering Singapore, etc.

(1)

Any importer and any person entering Singapore shall, if he is required to do so by a controller or any authorised officer —

(a)

declare whether or not he has imported or has in his possession any publication; and

(b)

produce the publication for examination.

(2)

A controller or an authorised officer may —

(a)

examine or search any person entering Singapore or any article which an importer has imported or a person entering Singapore has in his possession for the purpose of ascertaining whether the importer or person has imported or has in his possession an obscene or objectionable publication; and

(b)

detain any such publication produced or found upon the examination or search as the controller or authorised officer believes on reasonable grounds to be obscene or objectionable.

(3)

Any publication detained under subsection (2)(b) may be detained for so long as it is necessary to institute proceedings for an offence under this Act or, where no such proceedings are instituted within 3 months of the seizure, the controller or authorised officer —

(a)

may return the article or publication to the person from whom it was seized; or

(b)

if the publication is obscene or objectionable, or returning the article or publication is not reasonably practicable, may —

(i)

subject to section 20, destroy or cause to be destroyed the article or publication; or

(ii)

order the publication to be exported forthwith from Singapore.

(4)

Any person who fails to comply with any requirement made by a controller or an authorised officer under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable —

(a)

in the case of a person entering Singapore, to a fine not exceeding $1,000; or

(b)

in the case of an importer, to a fine not exceeding $5,000.

Read in full context — Undesirable Publications Act 1967 →