Clause 5

Subject to this Part, legal aid may be given to citizens and permanent residents of Singapore in any civil proceedings of a description mentioned in Part I of the First Schedule; and no legal aid shall be given in any of the proceedings mentioned in Part II of the First Schedule.

The proceedings in connection with which legal aid may be given may be varied by regulations made under this Act and the regulations may describe the proceedings to be included or excluded by reference to the court or tribunal, to the issues involved, to the capacity in which the person requiring legal aid is concerned, or otherwise.

Regulations made for the purpose of this section shall not provide for giving legal aid in connection with any proceedings before any court or tribunal before which persons have no right and are not normally allowed to be represented by a solicitor.

In this section, “permanent resident” means any person who is not subject to any restrictions as to his period of residence in Singapore imposed under any written law relating to immigration for the time being in force in Singapore.