Newspaper and Printing Presses Act 1974 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 4 · Newspapers
26. Examination of persons entering Singapore
Feedback & supportAny person entering Singapore must, if the person is required to do so by the Registrar or any authorised officer —
Registrar
“Registrar” means the Registrar of Newspapers and includes any Deputy or Assistant Registrar of Newspapers appointed by the Minister under section 29;
declare whether or not the person has with the person any declared foreign newspaper; and
produce such declared foreign newspaper for examination.
The Registrar or any authorised officer may examine or search any person entering Singapore or any article which the person has with the person for the purpose of ascertaining whether the person has in the person’s possession any declared foreign newspaper and may seize any such newspaper which is not marked in accordance with section 24(4).
declared foreign newspaper
“declared foreign newspaper” means any newspaper published outside Singapore which has been declared by the Minister under section 24(1) to be engaging in the domestic politics of Singapore;
Any newspaper seized under subsection (2) may be detained for so long as the Registrar or authorised officer considers necessary.
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;
The Registrar or authorised officer may, if any newspaper seized under subsection (2) is a declared foreign newspaper —
confiscate the newspaper; and
destroy it or cause it to be destroyed or permit it to be sent to a destination outside Singapore.
Any person who fails to comply with any requirement made by the Registrar or authorised officer under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
In this section, “authorised officer” means any person authorised by the Registrar or any police officer or officer of customs.
officer of customs
“officer of customs” has the meaning given by the Customs Act 1960;