Clause 1
Short title and commencement
This Act may be cited as the Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act 2000 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.
/akn/sg/act/bill/2000/9
The full official text, structured for quick navigation. Copy any provision or jump straight to a section.
Quick answer
Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Bill is Singapore Bill, cited as Bill 9 2000, currently marked in force and first recorded in 2000.
Part I
Short title and commencement
This Act may be cited as the Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act 2000 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.
Interpretation
“authorised officer” means —
the Director;
any police officer; or
any person appointed as an authorised officer under section 6(3);
“Convention” means the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction concluded at Paris on 13th January 1993, and includes the Annexes to the Convention and any amendments to, or substitutions of, the Convention or the Annexes that are binding on Singapore;
“chemical weapon” means the following, together or separately: (a)a toxic chemical and its precursors, except where intended for a permitted purpose, as long as the type and quantity are consistent with such a purpose;
a munition or device, specifically designed to cause death or other harm through the toxic properties of a toxic chemical referred to in paragraph (a), which would be released as a result of the employment of such munition or device;
any equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of a munition or device referred to in paragraph (b);
“conveyance” includes any vessel, train, vehicle, aircraft or other mode of transport;
“Director” means the Director for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons appointed under section 6(1) and includes any person appointed to act in the place of the Director during the temporary absence of the Director;
“export”, with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means to take or cause to be taken out of Singapore by land, water or air and includes the placing of any thing in a conveyance for the purposes of being taken out of Singapore but does not include the taking out of Singapore of that thing on the same conveyance on which it was brought into Singapore unless the scheduled chemical after being brought into Singapore has been landed in Singapore;
“import”, with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means to bring or cause to be brought into Singapore by land, water or air from any place which is outside Singapore but does not include the bringing into Singapore of any thing which is to be taken out of Singapore on the same conveyance on which it was brought into Singapore without any landing in Singapore;
“international inspector” means an individual designated by the Technical Secretariat according to the procedures set forth in the Verification Annex to the Convention to carry out an inspection or visit in accordance with the Convention, and includes any inspection assistant as defined in the Convention;
“national inspector” means any person who is a national inspector by virtue of, or appointed under, section 16;
“permitted purpose” means —
in the case of a Schedule 1 chemical, research, medical, pharmaceutical or protective purpose;
in the case of any other toxic chemical —
industrial, agricultural, research, medical, pharmaceutical or any other peaceful purpose;
any purpose directly related to protection against toxic chemicals and to protection against chemical weapons;
any military purpose not connected with the use of chemical weapons and not dependent on the use of the toxic properties of chemicals as a method of warfare; or
any law enforcement purpose (including domestic riot control);
“Schedule 1 chemical” means a chemical listed in Schedule 1 of the Schedules of Chemicals in the Chemicals Annex, and is set out in Part I of the Schedule to this Act;
“Schedule 2 chemical” means a chemical listed in Schedule 2 of the Schedules of Chemicals in the Chemicals Annex, and is set out in Part II of the Schedule to this Act;
“Schedule 3 chemical” means a chemical listed in Schedule 3 of the Schedules of Chemicals in the Chemicals Annex, and is set out in Part III of the Schedule to this Act;
“Verification Annex” means the Annex on Implementation and Verification to the Convention.
Any word or expression used and not defined in this Act but defined in the Convention shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the same meaning as in the Convention.
Act binds the Government
This Act binds the Government.
Purpose of Act
The purpose of this Act is to implement Singapore’s obligations under the Convention.
Every person exercising a power or discretion conferred under this Act shall have regard to Singapore’s obligations under the Convention.
Extra-territorial application
Sections 8 and 26 extend to acts done or omitted to be done outside Singapore by —
any citizen of Singapore; or
any other person on board any ship or aircraft registered in Singapore.
Notwithstanding anything in any other written law, proceedings in respect of any offence under section 8 or 26 committed anywhere outside Singapore shall not, by virtue only of the provisions of this Act, be instituted in any court except with the consent of the Public Prosecutor.
Notwithstanding subsection (2), a person may be arrested, or a warrant for a person’s arrest may be issued and executed, and the person may be remanded in custody or on bail, but no further or other proceedings shall be taken until the consent of the Public Prosecutor has been obtained.
Part V
Purpose and interpretation of this Part
The purpose of this Part is to —
facilitate inspections by national inspectors for a compliance purpose; and
facilitate inspections by international inspectors in accordance with the Convention and any facility agreement.
A reference in this section and in sections 16 and 21 to a compliance purpose is a reference to the purpose of —
determining whether the provisions of this Act and any regulations made thereunder have been or are being complied with at any premises;
determining whether the conditions applicable to a licence have been or are being complied with by the holder of a licence; or
ensuring the proper functioning at any premises of any monitoring equipment installed in the course of an international compliance inspection or under a facility agreement.
A reference in sections 16, 18 and 21 to an inspection power is a reference to a power to —
search any premises;
inspect or examine a matter or thing;
take samples of a matter or thing;
measure a matter or thing;
examine a document (including a record kept in accordance with the requirements of this Act, any regulations made thereunder or the conditions of a licence);
take extracts from, or make copies of, a document (including a record of a kind referred to in paragraph (e));
interview any person working on the premises (including making sound recordings of such interviews);
operate any equipment, including electronic equipment, located at the premises if the person exercising the power believes, on reasonable grounds, that the equipment can be operated without damaging it;
operate any photographic or video-recording equipment anywhere in or around the premises;
do anything that is necessary or expedient for the carrying out of any of the acts referred to in paragraphs (a) to (i), including restricting or prohibiting the access of persons and vehicles to or from the premises.
A power referred to in subsection (3)(a), (b), (c), (d), (h) or (i) may only be exercised in a manner that the person authorised to exercise it believes, on reasonable grounds, to be in accordance with safety procedures applicable at the premises.
National inspection
All authorised officers shall be national inspectors for the purposes of this Act and any regulations made thereunder.
The Director may, from time to time, appoint in writing other persons to be national inspectors.
A national inspector may —
with the consent of the person in control of any premises; or
under a warrant issued under section 21 in respect of any premises,enter the premises and exercise, on or in the premises, any inspection power for a compliance purpose.
International inspection
An international inspector may, with the consent of the person in control of any premises —
in respect of which any provision of Parts VI to IX of the Verification Annex to the Convention applies;
that is subject to an on-site challenge inspection referred to in paragraph 8 of Article IX of the Convention; or
in respect of which an investigation under paragraph 9 of Article X of the Convention has been initiated,or under a warrant issued under section 22 in respect of the premises —
enter the premises;
inspect the premises pursuant to the Convention and, in the case of any facility, any applicable facility agreement; and
exercise, in connection with the inspection, any function contemplated, and power provided for, in the Convention and, in the case of any facility, any applicable facility agreement.
Persons who may accompany international inspectors
In order to facilitate an inspection, an international inspector may be accompanied by one or more of the following persons:
an observer;
a national inspector.
A national inspector may exercise any inspection power for the purposes of facilitating an inspection referred to in section 17.
For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), “observer” means an observer referred to in paragraph 12 of Article IX of the Convention, and includes any person authorised by the Director to observe the inspection.
Written directions
The Director may, by notice in writing, issue directions to any person for the purpose of facilitating any inspection under this Part.
Any person who wilfully fails to comply with any direction given by the Director under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $6,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
Identification certificates
The Director shall issue to every international inspector and national inspector a certificate identifying him as such international inspector or national inspector, as the case may be.
Warrant for national inspection
A national inspector may apply for a warrant where the consent of the person in control of any premises to enter the premises to exercise any inspection powers for a compliance purpose cannot be obtained or where the person refuses to give such consent.
Subject to subsection (3), a Magistrate who is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that —
entry to the premises is necessary to exercise any inspection power for a compliance purpose; and
the consent of the person who is in control of the premises cannot be obtained or such consent is refused,may, unconditionally or subject to conditions, issue a warrant authorising the entry of the premises, at any time within 14 days of the issue of such warrant (or within such further time as may be specified in the warrant), by the national inspector for the purpose of exercising any inspection power for a compliance purpose.
The national inspector applying for a warrant shall —
first make reasonable inquiries as to whether any other applications for such a warrant have been made in respect of the premises concerned, and (if so) the following matters:
the offence or offences (if any) alleged in respect of each application; and
the results of each application; and
disclose on the application for the warrant the results of the inquiries.
Warrant for international inspection
The Director may apply for a warrant on behalf of an international inspector or national inspector where the consent of the person who is in control of any premises to enter the premises for the purposes referred to in section 17(ii) and (iii) cannot be obtained or where the person refuses to give such consent.
Subject to subsection (3), a Magistrate who is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that —
the premises meets the conditions for entry described in section 17;
entry to the premises is necessary for the purposes referred to in section 17(ii) and (iii); and
the consent of the person who is in control of the premises cannot be obtained or such consent is refused,may issue, unconditionally or subject to conditions, a warrant authorising the entry of the premises, at any time within 14 days of the issue of the warrant (or within such further time as may be specified in the warrant) by the international inspector or national inspector for the purposes referred to in paragraph (b).
The Director shall —
before applying for a warrant, make reasonable inquiries as to whether any other applications for such a warrant have been made in respect of the premises concerned, and (if so) the following matters:
the offence or offences (if any) alleged in respect of each application; and
the results of each application; and
disclose on the application for the warrant the results of the inquiries.
Use of force
If force is required to enter and inspect any premises specified in a warrant issued under section 21 or 22 (whether by breaking down a door or otherwise), or in breaking open anything in the premises, the person executing the warrant may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances.
Obligations of persons carrying out inspections
Every national inspector shall —
carry his identification certificate; and
produce it to any person appearing to be in control of the premises entered —
on entering the premises (if such a person is then present); and
at any reasonable time thereafter, if asked to do so by the person.
Every national inspector shall —
if, at any time between the time of entry of any premises to be inspected and the time the inspection is completed, there is no person appearing to be in control of the premises, as soon as is practicable after completing the inspection give the occupier or person in control of the premises a written notice stating that the premises has been entered, and specifying the following matters:
the time and date of entry;
the circumstances and purpose of entry; and
the name of every person entering;
where applicable, have a warrant with him and produce it if required to do so; and
where any thing is seized, give the occupier or person in control of the premises a written inventory of all things so seized.
Obstruction of national or international inspector, etc.
Any person who wilfully obstructs, hinders, resists, or deceives any national inspector or international inspector who is exercising any function contemplated, or any power provided for, in this Part or the Convention or any applicable facility agreement shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $15,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
Nothing in this section shall apply to a refusal to give consent to entry by a national inspector who is not acting pursuant to a warrant referred to in section 21 or 22.
Nothing in this section shall apply to a refusal to give consent to entry by an international inspector who is not acting pursuant to a warrant referred to in section 22.
Appointment of Director
If the Director is temporarily absent from Singapore or temporarily incapacitated by reason of illness or for any reason temporarily unable to perform his duties, the Minister may appoint a person to act in the place of the Director during any such period of absence from duty.
The Director may in writing appoint any public officer or any officer of any statutory body as an authorised officer for the purposes of this Act and any regulations made thereunder.
The Director may delegate to any authorised officer all or any of the powers conferred on the Director by this Act except the powers conferred by this subsection.
Functions of Director
The functions of the Director are —
to ensure the effective operation of this Act;
to carry out, on behalf of Singapore, the obligations that Singapore has under the Convention;
to facilitate inspections of premises in Singapore if Singapore’s compliance with the Convention is challenged;
to carry out such duties and exercise such powers as are conferred upon the Director under this Act or any regulations made thereunder; and
to do anything incidental or conducive to the performance of any of the functions referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d).
Use, etc., of chemical weapons
Any person who —
uses a chemical weapon;
develops or produces a chemical weapon;
acquires, stockpiles or retains a chemical weapon;
transfers, directly or indirectly, a chemical weapon to another person;
engages in military preparations to use a chemical weapon;
knowingly assists, encourages or induces, in any way, another person to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under the Convention; or
uses a riot control agent as a method of warfare,shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with —
imprisonment for a term which may extend to life imprisonment; and
a fine not exceeding $1 million.
Nothing in subsection (1) shall apply in respect of any act done by an authorised officer, a national inspector or an international inspector under the authority of this Act or any regulation made thereunder or any other written law.
In proceedings for an offence under subsection (1)(a), (c), (d), (e) or (g) relating to an object, it is a defence for the accused to prove that —
he neither knew nor suspected nor had reason to suspect that the object was a chemical weapon or riot control agent, as the case may be; or
as soon as reasonably practicable after he first knew or suspected it to be a chemical weapon or riot control agent, as the case may be, he took all reasonable steps to inform an authorised officer of his knowledge or suspicion.
Nothing in subsection (3) shall prejudice any defence which is open to a person charged with an offence under this section to raise apart from those subsections.
Licence for use, etc., of scheduled chemical or discrete organic chemical
No person shall use, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer a Schedule 1 chemical for a permitted purpose except under and in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted by the Director.
No person shall —
produce, process or consume a Schedule 2 chemical for a permitted purpose; or
produce a Schedule 3 chemical for a permitted purpose,except under and in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted by the Director.
No person shall produce —
more than 200 tonnes in total of any one or more unscheduled discrete organic chemicals per year; or
more than 30 tonnes of any one unscheduled discrete organic chemical containing phosphorous, sulfur or fluorine per year,except under and in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted by the Director.
No person shall import or export a Schedule 2 chemical or Schedule 3 chemical except under and in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted by the Director.
An application for a licence to do any of the acts referred to in subsections (1) to (4) shall be made to the Director in such manner or form as the Director may determine and shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee.
Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both.
Any person who contravenes subsection (2), (3) or (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
The Minister may make regulations to prescribe the manner of application for a licence, the form and duration of a licence, the terms and conditions upon which and the circumstances in which a licence may be granted, held, suspended, cancelled, extended, renewed or replaced, and the fees payable in respect thereof.
For the purposes of subsection (3), “unscheduled discrete organic chemical” means a discrete organic chemical not listed in the Schedule.
Forfeiture
A court may order that anything shown to the court’s satisfaction to be the subject matter of an offence under this Part or to have been used in the commission of such an offence shall be forfeited to the Government, and either destroyed or otherwise dealt with in such manner as the court may order.
In particular, the court may order the thing to be dealt with as the Director may see fit; and in such a case the Director may direct that it be destroyed or otherwise dealt with.
Where —
the court proposes to order anything to be forfeited under this section; and
a person claiming to have an interest in it applies to be heard by the court,the court shall not order it to be forfeited unless that person has been given an opportunity to show cause why the order should not be made.
The court may make an order under this section notwithstanding that no person has been charged with or convicted of an offence under this Part in relation to the thing to be forfeited.
Purpose of this Part
The purpose of this Part is to ensure that —
toxic chemicals and their precursors are only used, developed, produced, acquired, stockpiled, retained, or transferred for permitted purposes;
the Director has knowledge of dealings with chemicals that facilitates the making of Singapore’s periodic declarations under the Convention; and
Singapore is otherwise able to fulfil its obligations under the Convention.
Information and records for purposes of Convention
Any person who uses, develops, produces, acquires, stockpiles, retains or transfers toxic chemicals or their precursors to which any provision of Parts VI to IX of the Verification Annex applies shall —
give to the Director, in such form and at such intervals as are prescribed, such written particulars as are prescribed, in relation to —
the chemicals and, as the case may be, the facility;
the purposes to which the chemicals are put; and
such other matters relevant to a declaration required to be given by Singapore to the Organisation under the Convention as are prescribed;
keep such records in relation to the chemicals and facility referred to in paragraph (a), as are required by regulations made under this Act; and
prepare and give to the Director from such records, such periodic reports and such special reports relating to the chemicals and facility referred to in paragraph (a) as are required by regulations made under this Act.
Any person who refuses or fails, without reasonable cause, to comply with subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $6,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
The regulations relating to the keeping of records referred to in subsection (1)(b) may include, but are not limited to, regulations relating to —
the form and content of such records; and
the period for which such records are to be kept.
The regulations relating to the preparation and giving of periodic or special reports referred to in subsection (1)(c) may include, but are not limited to, regulations relating to —
the form and content of periodic reports;
the circumstances in which special reports are required and the form and content of such special reports;
the time within which such periodic reports and special reports are to be made; and
the persons who are to sign such periodic reports and special reports.
Director may seek information for declarations and consultation purposes
This section shall apply if the Director considers that any person is capable of giving information that is relevant to a declaration required to be given by Singapore to the Organisation under the Convention.
The Director may, by written notice given to the person, require the person to give such information to the Director —
if the person is a natural person, by writing signed by the person; or
if the person is a body corporate, by writing signed by an officer authorised to sign on behalf of the body corporate,within such reasonable period and in such manner as is specified in the notice.
The Director may, by written notice given to a person, require the person to give to the Director particular documents, or documents of a particular kind, specified in the notice, within such reasonable period as is specified in the notice.
Any person who, intentionally or recklessly refuses or fails, without reasonable cause, to comply with a notice under this section to the extent that the person is capable of complying with it shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $6,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
The power of the Director under this section to require a person to give information or documents to the Director is in addition to any obligation to give information or documents that the person may have under section 12.
False or misleading statements and documents
Any person who, in any document prepared pursuant to this Part, makes a statement or omits any matter knowing that, or being reckless as to whether, the statement or omission makes the document false or misleading in a material particular, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
Confidentiality
Every person shall keep confidential any information that is given pursuant to this Act or the Convention concerning the affairs of another person.
Such information may be disclosed only with the consent of the person to whose affairs it relates or for the purpose of —
enabling Singapore to fulfil its obligations under the Convention;
the enforcement of this Act; or
dealing with an emergency involving public safety.
Any person who fails to comply with this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $6,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
Warrant for search and seizure
If a Magistrate is satisfied, on information on oath, that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence under this Act is being, has been or is about to be committed on any premises or that evidence of the commission of such an offence is to be found there, the magistrate may issue a warrant in writing to an authorised officer to enter the premises, if necessary by force, at any time within one month from the time of the issue of the warrant and to search them.
An authorised officer who enters the premises under the authority of the warrant may —
take with him such other person and such equipment as appear to him to be necessary;
inspect any document found on the premises which he has reasonable cause to believe may be required as evidence for the purposes of proceedings in respect of an offence under this Act;
take copies of, or seize and remove, such document;
inspect, seize and remove any device or equipment found on the premises which he had reasonable cause to believe may be required as such evidence;
inspect, sample, seize and remove any substance found on the premises which he has reasonable cause to believe may be required as such evidence;
search or cause to be searched any person found on the premises whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be in possession of any document, device, equipment or substance.
Any person who wilfully obstructs, hinders, resists or deceives any authorised officer in entering the premises concerned or in exercising any of the powers referred to in subsection (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $15,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
Offences by body corporate
Where an offence under this Act or any regulations made thereunder is committed by a body corporate, and it is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any act or default on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he, as well as the body corporate, shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
Jurisdiction of Courts
A District Court or a Magistrate’s Court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine all prosecutions for offences under this Act or any regulations made thereunder; and a District Court shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Criminal Procedure Code (Cap. 68), have jurisdiction to impose the full penalty or punishment under this Act or any regulations made thereunder.
Composition of offences
The Director may, in his discretion, compound any offence under this Act or any regulations made thereunder which is prescribed as a compoundable offence by collecting from a person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence a sum not exceeding —
$1,000 in respect of any offence where the maximum fine prescribed for that offence is less than $5,000; and
$5,000 in respect of any other offence.
The Minister may make regulations to prescribe the offences which may be compounded.
Public servants
All authorised officers shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of the Penal Code (Cap. 224).
Power to amend Schedule
The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, amend or add to the Schedule in conformity with any amendment to the Chemicals Annex which may be duly made or adopted.
Regulations
The Minister may make regulations for any matter that is necessary or desirable for the purposes of implementing this Act or the Convention, or any agreement that is concluded between Singapore and the Organisation pursuant to the Convention.
Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), regulations may be made —
to impose on any importer, exporter, agent, forwarding agent, common carrier, consignor or consignee of goods or on any owner, agent, master or person in charge of a conveyance as may be prescribed in the regulations, the duty to furnish —
to the Director; or
to the owner, agent, master or person in charge of a conveyance, or to a railway station-master or to such other person as may be prescribed,such particulars, information or documents as may be prescribed in respect of any scheduled chemical that is imported or exported;
to require the master of any vessel to attend at the office of the Director or Port Master, and to furnish such particulars, information and documents, as may be prescribed;
to prohibit the issue of a port clearance to the master of any vessel pending compliance with any provision of the regulations;
for the registration of any scheduled chemical that is imported or exported;
to prescribe offences in respect of the contravention of or non-compliance with any regulations made under this section, and prescribing fines, not exceeding $10,000, that may, on conviction, be imposed in respect of any such offence; and
to prescribe anything which is required or permitted to be prescribed under this Act or is necessary or expedient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the provisions of this Act.