29. Power of protector to require security
Feedback & supportIf a protector has reasonable cause to believe that any child —
protector
“protector” includes the Director of Social Welfare, Assistant Directors of Social Welfare and such other persons as the President may, by notification in the Gazette, declare to be vested with all or any of the powers conferred and the duties imposed upon a protector by this Act or by any rules made thereunder;
has been brought into Singapore either after having been transferred for valuable consideration, or by fraud, misrepresentation or any false pretence;
has been transferred to the custody or control of any person for valuable consideration either within or without Singapore; or
is being detained against his will by some person other than his parent or lawful guardian,he may either —
guardian
“guardian”, in relation to a child or young person, includes any person who in the opinion of the court having cognizance of any case in relation to the child, or in which the child is concerned, has for the time being the charge of, or control over, the child or young person;
require any person in whose custody or under whose control the child appears to be to furnish him with copies of the child’s and the person’s own photographs, and to furnish security to his satisfaction that the child will not leave Singapore without the previous consent in writing of the protector or will not be transferred to the care or custody of any other person without the previous consent in writing of the protector, and that the child will be produced before the protector whenever he requires it; or
child
“child” means —(a)in the case of a person employed or engaged to take part in any public entertainment, a person under the age of 16 years; and(b)in any other case, a person under the age of 14 years;
in the first instance, or if default be made in complying with any order made under paragraph (i), make an order similar to an order under section 16(5) as if the child in question were a transferred child.
transferred child
“transferred child” means a child under the age of 14 years who is living apart from his natural father or mother but does not include a child —(a)who is living with a grandparent, a brother or sister by the whole or half blood, or a brother or sister of a deceased parent by the whole blood;(b)who being a female is over the age of 12 years and is married and is living with her husband or with a parent or grandparent of her husband;(c)who has been lawfully adopted in accordance with any written law relating to adoption and is living with the adopter;(d)who is living with a legal guardian;(e)who is living with a person other than his natural father or mother in pursuance of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction of Singapore or of Malaysia, or in pursuance of an order made under the provisions of this Act or the Women’s Charter or of any corresponding enactment of Malaysia or any part thereof;(f)who is an inmate of any orphanage, hospital, home or institution maintained by the Government, or of any place of safety; or(g)who is a boarder at a school registered under the Education Act or any corresponding enactment of Malaysia or any part thereof, or is regularly attending such a school and is living with a friend or relative of his natural father or mother or of his legal guardian or adopter, with the consent of the father, mother, legal guardian or adopter, as the case may be.