Newspaper and Printing Presses Act 1974 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 4 · Newspapers
21. No newspaper to be published without permit
Feedback & supportA person must not print or publish or assist in the printing or publishing of any newspaper in Singapore unless the chief editor or the proprietor of the newspaper has previously obtained a permit granted by the Minister authorising the publication thereof, which permit the Minister may grant, refuse or revoke, or grant subject to conditions to be endorsed thereon.
newspaper
“newspaper” means any publication containing news, intelligence, reports of occurrences, or any remarks, observations or comments, in relation to such news, intelligence, reports of occurrences, or to any other matter of public interest, printed in any language and published for sale or free distribution at regular intervals or otherwise, but does not include any publication published by or for the Government;
A permit must not be granted to the chief editor or the proprietor of any newspaper whose publication will constitute an offence under section 8.
chief editor
“chief editor” includes the executive editor, the managing editor and any other person who controls the policy of a newspaper;
Without limiting subsection (1), the Minister may —
direct that the newspaper must be printed in a language specified in the permit; and
before granting the permit require the applicant to execute a bond with or without sureties to secure the payment of any penalties which may be imposed upon the newspaper company, proprietor or editor of the newspaper under this Act or under any other written law.
Every permit unless sooner revoked is ordinarily for one year from the date of its issue, and may be renewed for further periods not exceeding 12 months in respect of each renewal.
Notice of the withdrawal of a permit to publish a newspaper must be published in the Gazette.
The Minister may make rules prescribing the particulars to be supplied by an applicant for a permit under this section.
A permit under this section is in addition to any licence granted under section 3 in respect of the printing press at which any newspaper is to be printed.
Any person dissatisfied with any decision of the Minister or with any condition imposed by the Minister under this section may appeal to the President whose decision is final.
Any person who contravenes this section or fails to comply with any condition attached to the grant of a permit under this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to the penalty prescribed by section 35.
This section does not apply to any offshore newspaper within the meaning of section 23.