Section 24

The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, declare any newspaper published outside Singapore to be a newspaper engaging in the domestic politics of Singapore.

A person must not, without the Minister’s prior approval, sell or distribute or import for or possess for sale or distribution any declared foreign newspaper.

The Minister may grant approval under subsection (2) subject to conditions or may refuse to grant or revoke such approval without giving any reason.

The Minister may restrict the sale or distribution of each issue of any declared foreign newspaper granted approval under subsection (2) to the number of copies the Minister thinks fit, and may require the copies to be marked in the manner that the Minister may direct.

Any person who contravenes subsection (2) or fails to comply with any of the conditions imposed under subsection (3) or who sells or distributes any copy of a declared foreign newspaper which is not marked in accordance with subsection (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

In any proceedings under this section, it is presumed, until the contrary is proved, that any person found in possession of more than 5 copies of the same issue of a declared foreign newspaper had possession of them for sale or distribution.