Internal Security Act 1960 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Special Provisions Relating to Security Areas
54. Power to take possession of land or buildings
Feedback & supportThe Minister may if it appears to him to be necessary or expedient to do so in the interests of public security, or for the accommodation of any security forces, take possession of any land or of any building or part of a building in any security area and may give such directions as appear to him necessary or expedient in connection with the taking of possession of that land or building.
Minister
“Minister” means the Minister charged with the responsibility for internal security;
Any police officer may take such steps and use such force as appears to him to be reasonably necessary for securing compliance with directions given to any person under subsection (1).
police officer
“police officer” includes an auxiliary police officer and a special police officer appointed in accordance with any written law for the time being in force;
While any land or building is in the possession of the Minister by virtue of this section, the land or building may, notwithstanding any restriction imposed on the use thereof (whether by any written law or other instrument or otherwise), be used by, or under the authority of, the Minister for such purpose, and in such manner, as the Minister thinks expedient in the interests of public security or for the accommodation of any security forces; and the Minister, so far as appears to him to be necessary or expedient in connection with the taking of possession or use of the land or building in pursuance of this subsection —
security forces
“security forces” includes the Singapore Police Force, the Special Constabulary, the auxiliary police force, the Singapore Armed Forces, any local forces established under any written law in force in Singapore, and any force which is a visiting force for the purposes of Part 1 of the Visiting Forces Act 1960 and in respect of whom all or any of the powers exercisable by the Singapore Armed Forces or their members under this Act have been made exercisable by an order made under any such law;
may do, or authorise persons using the land or building as aforesaid to do, in relation to the land or building, anything any person having an interest in the land or building would be entitled to do by virtue of that interest; and
may by order provide for prohibiting or restricting the exercise of rights of way over the land or building, and of other rights relating thereto which are enjoyed by any person, whether by virtue of an interest in land or otherwise.
The owner or occupier of any land or building shall, if requested by or on behalf of the Minister to do so, furnish to such authority or person as may be specified in the request such information in his possession relating to the land or building (being information which may reasonably be demanded of him in connection with the execution of this section) as may be so specified.
For the purposes of this section, there shall be one or more advisory committees consisting of persons appointed by the Minister; and any such committee may make rules for the conduct of its proceedings.
Any person aggrieved by reason of the taking possession of any land or building under this section may within 14 days after such possession has been taken give notice of his objection thereto to an advisory committee appointed under subsection (5).
The chairman of an advisory committee to which such notice has been given by an aggrieved person shall inform any person on whose behalf possession of such land or building has been taken, and the advisory committee shall thereupon consider the objection made by the aggrieved person and any grounds which may be put forward against such objections by the person on whose behalf such possession has been taken, and shall forward its recommendations to the Minister.
The Minister after considering the recommendations of the advisory committee shall give such directions thereon as he may think fit.