Singapore legislation
Clause 121
Clause 121
Exemption of soldiers in respect of civil process
(1)
A soldier of the Singapore armed forces shall not be liable to be taken out of the service of the Singapore armed forces by any process, execution or order of any court of law or otherwise, or to be compelled to appear in person before any court of law, except in respect of the following matters, or one of them, that is to say —
on account of a charge of, or conviction for, an offence; or
on account of any debt, damages, or sum of money, when the amount exceeds two hundred and fifty dollars over and above the costs of the suit.
(2)
For the purposes of this section “offence” shall mean an offence punishable with fine or imprisonment or some greater punishment.
(3)
The amount of the debt, damages or sum of money shall be proved for the purpose of any process issued before the court has adjudicated on the case by an affidavit of the person seeking to recover the same or of someone on his behalf, and such affidavit shall be sworn, without payment of any fee, in the manner in which affidavits are sworn in the court in which proceedings are taken for the recovery of the sum, and a memorandum of such affidavit shall, without fee, be endorsed upon any process or order issued against a soldier.
(4)
All proceedings and documents in or incidental to a process, execution or order in contravention of this section shall be void; and where complaint is made by a soldier or his commanding officer that such soldier is dealt with in contravention of this section by any process, execution or order issued out of any court, and is made to that court or to any court superior to it, the court or some judge thereof shall examine into the complaint, and shall, if necessary, discharge such soldier without fee, and may award reasonable costs to the complainant, which may be recovered as if costs had been awarded in his favour in any action or other proceedings in such court:Provided that any person having cause of action or suit against a soldier of the Singapore armed forces may notwithstanding anything in this section, after due notice in writing given to the soldier, or left at his last quarters, proceed in such action or suit to judgment, and have execution other than against the person, pay, arms, ammunition, equipments, regimental necessaries or clothing of such soldier.