In forceAmendedUpdated to 1 Jul 2026

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COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 · Updated to 1 Jul 2026 · Part 2 · Temporary Relief for Inability to Perform Contracts

5A. Relief for inability to exercise right under scheduled contract

Amended

Last amended by an amending law of 2020.

(1)

This section applies to a case where —

(a)

the scheduled contract in question comes within a description of contracts prescribed as contracts to which this section applies;

(b)

a party to the contract (also called in this Division A) is or will be unable to exercise a right in the contract (called in this Division the subject right), being a right that is to be exercised on or after 1 February 2020;

(c)

the inability is to a material extent caused by a COVID-19 event; and

(d)

A has served a notification for relief in accordance with section 9(1) on —

(i)

the other party or parties to the contract; and

(ii)

such other person as may be prescribed.

(2)

Despite any law or anything in the contract, another party to the contract (also called in this Division B) may not take any action described in subsection (3) in relation to A’s inability to exercise the subject right until after the earliest of the following:

(a)

the expiry of the prescribed period;

(b)

the withdrawal by A of A’s notification for relief;

(c)

on an application under section 9(2), the assessor makes a determination that the case in question is not one to which this section applies.

(3)

The actions mentioned in subsection (2) are —

(a)

the forfeiture of any part of any consideration paid for the subject right; and

(b)

such other action as may be prescribed.

(4)

The Minister may, by regulations made under section 19, provide that any paragraph (or a part of it) in subsection (3) —

(a)

does not apply in relation to a description of scheduled contracts (or a part of such contract); or

(b)

applies in relation to a description of scheduled contracts (or a part of such contract) subject to modifications set out in the regulations,and this Part applies in relation to that description of scheduled contracts (or a part of such contract) as if that paragraph (or a part of it) were omitted or modified in the manner so set out.

Terms defined in this Act

assessor
Defined · s 2
“assessor” means a person appointed to the panel of assessors under section 11;
Open s 2
COVID‑19 event
Defined · s 2
“COVID‑19 event” means —(a)the COVID‑19 epidemic or pandemic; or(b)the operation of or compliance with any law of Singapore or another country or territory, or an order or direction of the Government or any statutory body, or of the government or other public authority of another country or territory, being any law, order or direction that is made by reason of or in connection with COVID‑19;
Open s 2
Minister
Defined · s 2
“Minister” means —(a)except as provided in paragraphs (b) to (d), the Minister charged with the responsibility for law;(b)for the purposes of Part 6 — the Minister charged with the responsibility for finance;(c)for the purposes of Part 7 — the Minister charged with the responsibility for health; and (d)for the purposes of Parts 8A and 8B — the Minister charged with the responsibility for national development; (e)
Open s 2
notification for relief
Defined · s 2
“notification for relief” means a notification mentioned in section 9(1);
Open s 2
party
Defined · s 41
“party” means a party to a contract, and “parties” is construed accordingly;
Open s 41
prescribed period
Defined · s 2
“prescribed period” —(a)in relation to Part 1 or 3 — means the period prescribed under section 3 as extended or shortened under that section for Part 1 or 3; and(b)in relation to any scheduled contract in Part 2 — means the period prescribed under section 3 as extended or shortened under that section for that Part or for a description of contracts to which that contract belongs, as the case may be;
Open s 2
scheduled contract
Defined · s 2
“scheduled contract” means a contract within a description of contracts set out in the First Schedule, but not one that falls within such description of contracts as may be prescribed;
Open s 2