Clause 17

No newspaper printed in Malaysia shall be published, sold, offered for sale or distributed in Singapore unless the proprietor of the newspaper or his agent has previously obtained and there is in force a permit in writing under the hand of the Minister authorizing the publication, sale or distribution of the newspaper in Singapore, which permit the Minister may in his discretion grant, refuse, or revoke, or grant subject to conditions to be endorsed thereon:Provided that nothing in this section shall affect the publication, sale, offer for sale or distribution of any newspaper in respect of which a permit has been granted under section 12 of this Act.

Every such permit shall have effect only in respect of the proprietor to whom it was granted and shall unless sooner revoked ordinarily be for one year from the date of its issue, and may be renewed for further periods of twelve months.

It shall be a condition of the grant of any permit under this section that any newspaper to which it refers shall have printed legibly in the English or Malay language on its first or last printed leaf the name and address of its printer, its publisher, and the place or places where it is printed and published and an address within Singapore for the service of legal process upon the printer and the publisher or of a person or persons authorized by the printer and the publisher to accept service on their behalf.

The Minister may in his discretion impose as conditions of the grant of a permit that the proprietor shall establish and maintain a place of business within Singapore, that he shall appoint persons within Singapore authorized to accept service of any notice or legal process on his behalf and on behalf of the printer or the publisher and that he shall furnish the Registrar with the names and addresses of the persons so appointed.

Notice of the grant, refusal or revocation of a permit to sell and distribute a newspaper shall be published in the Gazette.

Any person dissatisfied with the decision of the Minister as to the grant, refusal or revocation of a permit or with any condition imposed by the Minister as a condition of the grant of a permit under this section may appeal to the President whose decision thereon shall be final.