Singapore legislation
Section 201B
Section 201B
Deployment of Singapore Armed Forces for air and sea operations in aid of civilian authorities
(1)
The Minister may authorise the Singapore Armed Forces to be deployed in any manner that is reasonable and necessary for all or any of the following air or sea operations:
to combat piracy or piratical acts;
to detect and prevent any aerial or maritime threat to the defence or security of Singapore;
to detect and prevent the unlawful carriage by air or sea of any weapon, explosive or other dangerous device or substance;
to rescue any hijacked aircraft, vessel or other fixed or floating facility;
to carry out such other air or sea operation as the Minister, after consulting the Committee, may, by notification in the Gazette, prescribe.
(2)
The Minister must have regard to Singapore’s international obligations when giving any authorisation under subsection (1).
(3)
Subject to sections 201E and 201F, any serviceman deployed for duty under subsection (1) may, for the purposes of the operation for which the serviceman is deployed, do one or more of the following in relation to any aircraft:
intercept the aircraft and require it ––
to leave, or not to enter, Singapore airspace or such part of Singapore airspace as may be specified by the serviceman; or
to land at an aerodrome or such other place in Singapore as may be specified by the serviceman;
capture or recapture the aircraft;
board the aircraft;
where the serviceman is on board the aircraft —
prevent, or put an end to, acts of violence;
protect persons from acts of violence;
free any hostage from the aircraft;
evacuate persons to a place of safety;
detain any person whom the serviceman believes on reasonable grounds to have committed an offence or to have a design to commit an offence, to be handed over to a police officer as soon as practicable;
search the aircraft, and any person or anything on it, including its cargo;
seize any dangerous thing or other thing related to the operation concerned or evidence of any offence found in such a search;
detain the aircraft and bring it, or cause it to be brought, to any other place in Singapore;
take measures (including the use of force) reasonable and necessary in the circumstances to exercise any of the powers in paragraphs (a) to (e).
(4)
Subject to sections 201E and 201F, any serviceman deployed for duty under subsection (1) may, for the purposes of the operation for which the serviceman is deployed, do one or more of the following in relation to any vessel or fixed or floating facility:
intercept the vessel and require it to leave, or not to enter, Singapore territorial waters or such part of Singapore territorial waters as may be specified by the serviceman;
pursue, stop and board the vessel;
where necessary and after firing a warning signal, fire at or into the vessel to disable it or compel it to be brought to for boarding;
capture or recapture the vessel or facility;
where the serviceman is on the vessel or facility —
prevent, or put an end to, acts of violence;
protect persons from acts of violence;
free any hostage from the vessel or facility;
evacuate persons to a place of safety;
require any person to give information concerning himself or herself, the vessel or facility or anything thereon;
detain any person whom the serviceman believes on reasonable grounds to have committed an offence or to have a design to commit an offence, to be handed over to a police officer as soon as practicable;
search the vessel or facility, and any person or anything on it, including its cargo;
seize any dangerous thing or other thing related to the operation concerned or evidence of any offence found in such a search;
detain the vessel and bring it, or direct the person in charge of the vessel to bring it —
to a port or to any other place in Singapore; or
out of Singapore;
take measures (including the use of force) reasonable and necessary in the circumstances to exercise any of the powers in paragraphs (a) to (f).
(5)
The powers under subsections (3) and (4) extend to aircraft and vessels outside Singapore in accordance with Singapore’s international obligations.