Singapore legislation
Clause 24
Clause 24
Minister may order dissolution of any society
(1)
Whenever it appears to the Minister that —
any registered society is being used for unlawful purposes or for purposes prejudicial to public peace, welfare or good order in Singapore;
any registered society is being used for purposes incompatible with the objects and rules of the society;
the rules of any registered society are or have been inadequate for its proper management and control and such registered society has failed without reasonable cause to amend its rules within three months of, and in accordance with, a direction from the Registrar to amend its rules for such purposes;
the rules of any registered society which is a political association do not provide for its membership to be confined to Singapore citizens, and such society has failed without reasonable cause to amend its rules within three months of, and in accordance with, a direction from the Registrar to amend its rules for such purposes;
any registered society which is a political association has such affiliation or connection with any organisation outside Singapore as is considered by the Registrar to be contrary to the national interest, and has failed to satisfy the Registrar that it has taken appropriate action to sever such affiliation or connection within three months of, and in accordance with, a direction from the Registrar to take such action;
any registered society has wilfully contravened any provision of this Act or of any regulations made thereunder, or of any of the rules of the society,the Minister may order that such society shall be dissolved.
(2)
Notification of every such order shall be published in the Gazette, and shall be affixed in a conspicuous manner on any building occupied by such society.
(3)
Every society against which an order for dissolution is made shall thenceforward be deemed to be an unlawful society.
(4)
Where an order of dissolution has been made against any society every person who on the date on which the order was made was an officer of that society shall, during the period of three years from the date on which the order was made, be ineligible, except with the written permission of the Minister, to act or be elected as an officer of any other society.
(5)
Any person who acts without the written permission of the Minister as an officer of a society while he is ineligible under the provisions of subsection (3) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(6)
The fact that a political association uses a name or symbol which is the same as that of an organisation outside Singapore shall be deemed to be sufficient evidence that the political association has affiliation or connection with that organisation.