Wholesome Meat and Fish Act 1999

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“Agency” means the Singapore Food Agency established by the Singapore Food Agency Act 2019;

“animal” means any bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian;

“authorised examiner” means any person or body of persons designated by the Director-General under section 3(5) to carry out any inspection, examination and certification of any meat product or fish product under this Act and includes any authorised officer;

“authorised officer” means any person appointed by the Director‑General to be an authorised officer under section 3(2);

“cold store” means any chiller, freezer, cold room or other refrigerated facility used for the storage of meat products or fish products and includes any refrigerated conveyance used for transportation of meat products or fish products in the course of any trade or business;

“conveyance” includes any aircraft, vessel, train, vehicle or any other artificial contrivance, whether mechanically propelled or otherwise, used or capable of being used as a means of transport on land, water or air;

“Director‑General” means the Director‑General, Food Administration appointed under section 3(1) of the Sale of Food Act 1973;

“Director‑General of Customs” means the Director-General of Customs appointed under section 4(1) of the Customs Act 1960;

“disease” means any animal disease and any other disease as is likely to infect human beings;

“examination” includes laboratory analysis;

“export” does not include the taking out of Singapore of any goods in transit or any goods which are being transhipped;

“fish” means any species of fish and includes crustacea, shellfish, echinoderm, mollusc, and the young and eggs thereof;

“fish product” means —

“goods in transit” means goods that are brought into Singapore solely for the purpose of taking them out of Singapore and that which remain at all times on the conveyance that brought them into Singapore;

“import” does not include the bringing into Singapore of any goods in transit or any goods which are being transhipped;

“label” means any written, printed, pictorial or other descriptive matter that is to be applied or attached to or included in, or that accompanies or is to accompany, any meat product or fish product or the package or receptacle thereof, and “labelled” is to be construed accordingly;

“meat product” means —

“occupier” —

“officer of customs” has the meaning given by the Customs Act 1960;

“owner” —

“premises” includes messuages, houses, buildings, structures, lands, tenements, easements and hereditaments of any tenure, whether open or enclosed, whether built on or not, whether public or private, and whether maintained or not under statutory authority;

“process”, with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, includes cutting and the use of any method of manufacture, preservation or preparation;

“processing establishment” means any factory, plant or other premises where meat products or fish products (as the case may be) are processed for distribution to wholesalers or retailers or for export;

“receptacle”, in relation to any meat product or fish product, means any basket, carton, bag, box, packet or article which contains the meat product or fish product and where any such receptacle is contained in another such receptacle includes the latter receptacle;

“rules” means rules made under section 42;

“sell” means to sell by way of retail or wholesale dealing and includes barter, and also includes offering or attempting to sell, or receiving for sale, or exposing for sale, or sending or delivering for sale, or causing or allowing to be sold, offered or exposed for sale;

“slaughter‑house” means any premises where animals are slaughtered for the production of meat products;

“tranship”, with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means to bring any goods into Singapore by land, sea or air from any place which is outside Singapore and then to remove those goods from the conveyance in which they were brought into Singapore and —

“vehicle” means any conveyance used to carry goods by land.

For the purposes of this Act, any meat product or fish product is deemed to be adulterated if —

The Director‑General is responsible for the administration of this Act, subject to the general or special directions of the Minister.

The Director‑General may in writing appoint any public officer or any officer of the Agency or any other statutory authority, or an auxiliary police officer appointed under the Police Force Act 2004, to be an authorised officer for the purposes of this Act and the rules.

The Director‑General may delegate the exercise of all or any of the powers conferred or duties imposed upon him or her by this Act (except the power of delegation conferred by this subsection) to any authorised officer.

Every authorised officer is deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of the Penal Code 1871.

The Director‑General may designate any person or body of persons to carry out at any appointed place any inspection, examination and certification of any meat product or fish product under this Act.

The Director‑General may, for any reason that appears to the Director‑General to be sufficient, at any time revoke a person’s appointment as an authorised officer or a person’s or body’s designation under subsection (5).

An auxiliary police officer who is appointed as an authorised officer under subsection (2) does not, by virtue only of the appointment, become an employee or agent of the Agency.

Every authorised officer, when exercising any of his or her powers under this Act or the rules —

It is not an offence for any person to refuse to comply with any request, demand or order made or given by any authorised officer if the authorised officer is not in uniform and refuses to declare his or her office and produce his or her identification card, on demand being made by the person.

A person must not import, export or tranship any meat product or fish product except under and in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted by the Director‑General under this Part.

Any person who —

A licensee must not import any meat product or fish product for sale, supply or distribution in Singapore unless —

A licensee must not export any meat product or fish product from Singapore to any country, territory or place unless —

A licensee must not tranship any meat product or fish product in Singapore unless the licensee has obtained a permit from the Director‑General in respect of each consignment of meat products or fish products to be transhipped by the licensee and the transhipment is carried out in accordance with the conditions of the permit.

Any licensee who contravenes or fails to comply with subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

Subject to subsection (6), in any proceedings for an offence under subsection (4), it is a defence for the person charged to prove —

If in any proceedings the defence provided by subsection (5) involves the allegation that the commission of the offence was due to the act or default of another person, the person charged is not, without leave of the court, entitled to rely on that defence unless, within a period ending 7 clear days before the hearing, the person charged has served on the prosecutor a written notice giving such information as was then in the possession of the person charged identifying or assisting in the identification of that other person.

In this section, “licensee” means any person who has obtained a licence as required under section 5 for the import, export or transhipment of any meat product or fish product.

An application for a licence required under section 5 or a permit required under section 6 must be made to the Director‑General in such form or manner as the Director‑General may require and must be accompanied by —

In deciding whether to grant a licence under section 5 for the import of any meat product or fish product, the Director‑General may make inquiries and investigations that are reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances so as to be satisfied as to the experience and resources of the applicant in providing a secure and reliable supply in Singapore of the meat product or fish product.

Without limiting subsection (2), those inquiries and investigations may include whether the applicant for a licence to import any meat product or fish product has a procurement plan stating —

On receipt of an application under subsection (1), the Director‑General may —

Without limiting subsection (4), the Director‑General may grant a licence under section 5 subject to such conditions as the Director‑General thinks fit, including but not limited to the conditions necessary or related to ensuring a secure and reliable supply in Singapore of any meat product or fish product.

Where the Director‑General has refused to grant a licence or permit under subsection (4)(b), the Director‑General must, if requested to do so by the applicant, state in writing the reasons for his or her refusal.

The conditions which the Director‑General may impose under subsection (4)(a) include any condition which —

The Director‑General may at any time vary or revoke any of the existing conditions imposed under subsection (4)(a) or impose new conditions.

Every licence or permit granted under this section —

Subsections (1) to (9) apply, with the necessary modifications, to an application for the renewal of a licence.

The Director‑General may suspend or revoke a licence or permit granted under section 7 if he or she is satisfied that —

The Director‑General must, before suspending or revoking the licence or permit under subsection (1), give to the holder of the licence or permit written notice of the Director‑General’s intention to do so and must in such notice call upon the holder of the licence or permit to show cause within such time as may be specified in the notice as to why the holder’s licence or permit should not be suspended or revoked.

If the holder of the licence or permit —

Any person who is aggrieved by —

Despite the fact that any appeal under subsection (1) is pending —

Upon the suspension or revocation of a licence or permit, the holder of the licence or permit must surrender the licence or permit to the Director‑General within the time specified in the notice mentioned in subsection (1), failing which the holder of the licence or permit shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

Any person who has imported any meat product or fish product into Singapore or who intends to export any meat product or fish product from Singapore must forthwith arrange, at his or her own expense, for the meat product or fish product to be inspected, examined and certified by an authorised examiner before it is sold or distributed or exported, as the case may be.

Where any meat product or fish product which has been inspected and examined by an authorised examiner under subsection (1) is found by the authorised examiner to be diseased, adulterated or otherwise unfit for human consumption —

Where a person who has imported, or who intends to export, any meat product or fish product fails to comply with subsection (1) or (2)(b), the person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

Where a person to whom paragraph (b) of subsection (2) applies fails to comply with that paragraph, any authorised officer may take such steps as he or she thinks fit to secure the removal, destruction or disposal of the meat product or fish product and recover any costs and expenses reasonably incurred by him or her from that person.

A person must not slaughter any animal which is intended for human consumption or permit any such animal to be slaughtered on any premises, unless —

Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

For the purpose of this section, the occupier of any premises in which any animal is slaughtered in contravention of subsection (1) is deemed to have slaughtered that animal, until the occupier proves that it was slaughtered without the occupier’s knowledge or consent.

A person must not use any premises or permit any premises to be used as a processing establishment or a cold store except under and in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted by the Director‑General.

Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

An application for a licence required under section 11(1)(a) or 12(1) or a permit required under section 11(1)(b) must be made to the Director‑General in such form or manner as the Director‑General may require and must be accompanied by —

On receipt of an application under subsection (1), the Director‑General may —

Where the Director‑General has refused to grant a licence or permit under subsection (2)(b), the Director‑General must, if required by the applicant, state in writing the reasons for his or her refusal.

In determining whether to grant or refuse to grant a licence required under section 11(1)(a) or 12(1), the Director‑General must have regard to —

For the purpose of subsection (4), the Director‑General, before granting the licence applied for, may —

The Director‑General may at any time vary or revoke any of the existing conditions imposed under subsection (2)(a) or impose new conditions.

Every licence or permit granted under this section —

Subsections (1) to (7) apply, with the necessary modifications, to an application for the renewal of a licence.

The Director‑General may suspend or revoke a licence or permit granted under section 13 if he or she is satisfied that —

The Director‑General must, before suspending or revoking the licence or permit under subsection (1), give to the holder of the licence or permit written notice of the Director‑General’s intention to do so and must in such notice call upon the holder of the licence or permit to show cause within such time as may be specified in the notice as to why the holder’s licence or permit should not be suspended or revoked.

If the holder of the licence or permit —

Any person who is aggrieved by —

Despite the fact that any appeal under subsection (1) is pending —

Upon the suspension or revocation of a licence or permit, the holder of the licence or permit must surrender the licence or permit to the Director‑General within the time specified in the notice mentioned in subsection (1), failing which the holder of the licence or permit shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

The Director‑General may in writing direct the owner or occupier of a licensed slaughter‑house to subject all or any of the animals intended for slaughter at the slaughter‑house to an ante‑mortem examination before slaughter, and to a post‑mortem examination after slaughter, by an authorised examiner.

The costs of and incidental to any examination mentioned in subsection (1) are to be borne by the person to whom the direction under that subsection is given.

Any person who fails to comply with any direction given to the person by the Director‑General under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

It is the duty of the owner and occupier of a licensed slaughter‑house to ensure —

Any owner or occupier of a licensed slaughter-house who fails to comply with any of the owner’s or occupier’s duties under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

In any proceedings against the owner or occupier of a licensed slaughter‑house for failing to comply with the owner’s or occupier’s duty under subsection (1)(a), it is a defence for the person charged to prove —

Where the Director‑General or an authorised officer knows or has reason to believe that any animal intended for slaughter at a licensed slaughter‑house is diseased or is, for any other reason, unfit for human consumption, the Director‑General or authorised officer may by written order —

Any person who fails to comply with an order given to the person by the Director‑General or an authorised officer under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

Where the Director‑General or an authorised officer knows or has reason to believe that the carcase of any animal which has been slaughtered at a licensed slaughter‑house is diseased or is, for any other reason, unfit for human consumption, the Director‑General or authorised officer may by written order —

Any person who fails to comply with an order given to the person by the Director‑General or an authorised officer under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

Before the carcase of any animal that has been slaughtered in a licensed slaughter‑house is removed, it must be marked, branded or tagged in the prescribed manner to denote that that animal has been slaughtered in compliance with section 11(1)(a).

Any person who —

Subject to subsection (4), in any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2)(d), it is a defence for the person charged to prove —

If in any proceedings the defence provided by subsection (3) involves the allegation that the commission of the offence was due to the act or default of another person, the person charged is not, without leave of the court, entitled to rely on that defence unless, within a period ending 7 clear days before the hearing, the person charged has served on the prosecutor a written notice giving such information as was then in the possession of the person charged identifying or assisting in the identification of that other person.

Where the Director‑General or an authorised officer finds that the condition in a licensed slaughter-house, processing establishment or cold store has become dangerous to health or may hinder in any manner the suppression of disease or that the licensed slaughter‑house, processing establishment or cold store has been or is being kept in an unhygienic condition, the Director‑General or authorised officer may —

The Director‑General or an authorised officer must, as soon as possible after he or she has given written directives under subsection (1)(a), inform the owner or occupier of the slaughter‑house, processing establishment or cold store of the reasons why the directives were given.

Any person who fails to comply with any directive given to the person by the Director‑General or an authorised officer under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

A person must not use any premises or permit any premises to be used as a wholesale market unless the person has been granted a licence by the Director‑General to use those premises as such.

Any person who —

Sections 13, 14 and 15 apply, with the necessary modifications, to a licence required under this section as they apply to a licence required under section 11 or 12.

In this section, “wholesale market” means a place where any animal, meat product, fish or fish product is sold wholesale or through auction.

A person must not sell or supply, or have in the person’s possession for the purpose of selling or supplying, or advertise the sale or supply of, any meat product or fish product —

Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both.

Subject to subsection (4), in any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2), it is a defence for the person charged to prove —

If in any proceedings the defence provided by subsection (3) involves the allegation that the commission of the offence was due to the act or default of another person, the person charged is not, without leave of the court, entitled to rely on that defence unless, within a period ending 7 clear days before the hearing, the person charged has served on the prosecutor a written notice giving such information as was then in the possession of the person charged identifying or assisting in the identification of that other person.

For the purpose of this section, where any meat product or fish product is found on any premises used by any person for the sale of meat products or fish products or for the storage of meat products or fish products intended for sale, it is deemed to be in that person’s possession for sale until the contrary is proved.

For the purpose of discharging his or her functions and duties under this Act and the rules, the Director‑General or an authorised officer may at any time require any person —

The Director‑General or an authorised officer may record any information provided by any person under subsection (1)(b) as a statement which is admissible as evidence in any proceedings in connection with any offence under this Act or the rules.

Any person who fails to comply with any requirement made by the Director‑General or authorised officer under subsection (1)(a) or (b) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

For the purpose of investigating any offence under this Act or the rules, the Director‑General or an authorised officer may —

The person mentioned in subsection (1)(b) is bound to state truly the facts and circumstances with which the person is acquainted concerning the case except only that the person may decline to make, with regard to any fact or circumstance, a statement which would have a tendency to expose the person to a criminal charge or to penalty or forfeiture.

Any statement made by any person in answer to a question under subsection (1) must —

If any person fails to attend before the Director‑General or an authorised officer as required under subsection (1), the Director‑General or authorised officer may report the failure to a Magistrate who may issue a warrant to secure the attendance of that person as required by the order.

In discharging his or her functions and duties under this Act and the rules, the Director‑General or an authorised officer may —

For the purpose of subsection (1)(a), the Director‑General or an authorised officer may —

Where the Director‑General or an authorised officer seizes any item under subsection (1)(d), the Director‑General or authorised officer must forthwith give written notice of the seizure to the owner of the item seized or to the agent of such owner, if the name and address of such owner or agent of such owner are known.

Any person aggrieved by the seizure of any item under subsection (1)(d) may, within 48 hours after the seizure, complain of the seizure to a Magistrate’s Court.

Upon hearing such complaint, the Magistrate’s Court may —

Any item seized under subsection (1)(d) may be kept or stored in the premises or conveyance where it was seized or may, at the direction of the Director‑General or an authorised officer, be removed to any other place to be kept or stored at such other place.

The Director‑General or an authorised officer may mark, seal or label any item being detained under subsection (1)(d) in such manner as he or she thinks fit for the purpose of indicating that the item is under detention and may lock or seal the premises or conveyance in which the item is being detained.

Any person who fails to comply with any requirement made by the Director‑General or an authorised officer under subsection (2)(a) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

Any person who, without the authority of the Director‑General or an authorised officer —

Where the result of the examination of any sample taken from any meat product or fish product under section 25(1)(c) reveals that the meat product or fish product is diseased, adulterated or unfit for human consumption, the Director‑General or an authorised officer may direct the owner of the meat product or fish product or the agent of such owner to destroy or treat or otherwise dispose of the meat product or fish product in such manner as the Director‑General or authorised officer thinks fit, and the costs of an incidental to the destruction, treatment or disposal are to be borne by such owner or agent thereof.

If a person to whom any direction under subsection (1) is given fails to comply with the direction —

The Director‑General or any authorised officer, police officer or officer of customs may arrest without warrant any person committing or attempting to commit or whom he or she reasonably suspects of being engaged in committing or attempting to commit any offence under this Act or the rules, if —

The Director‑General or any authorised officer, police officer or officer of customs making an arrest without warrant must, subject to subsection (3), without unnecessary delay bring the person arrested before a Magistrate’s Court.

A person who has been arrested by the Director‑General or any authorised officer, police officer or officer of customs is not to be released, except on his or her own bond or on bail or on the special written order of the Magistrate or the Director‑General.

Where an offence under this Act or the rules has been committed by a body corporate, a partnership or an unincorporated association of persons, any person who at the time of the commission of the offence was a director, manager, partner, secretary or other similar officer thereof, or was purporting to act in any such capacity shall be guilty of that offence unless he or she proves —

Where an offence under this Act or the rules is committed by any person acting as an agent or servant of another person, or being otherwise subject to the supervision or instruction of another person for the purposes of any employment in the course of which the offence was committed, that other person shall, without affecting the liability of the firstmentioned person, be liable under this Act or the rules in the same manner and to the same extent as if the other person had personally committed the offence if it is proved that the act which constituted the offence was committed with the other person’s consent or connivance or that it was attributable to any neglect on the other person’s part.

The court before which any person is tried for an offence under this Act or the rules may make an order for the forfeiture of any item which has been seized under the provisions of this Act if —

Where no party raises the question of forfeiture under subsection (1), the court is to consider the question on its own motion.

The court may make an order under subsection (1) for the forfeiture of any item which has been seized under the provisions of this Act even though no person may have been convicted of an offence.

If the court, having regard to the circumstances of the case, does not think it fit to order the forfeiture of any item which has been seized under the provisions of this Act, the court is to order that the item be released to the owner of the item or the person entitled to the item.

In the absence of any prosecution with regard to any item which has been seized under the provisions of this Act, the Director‑General must give to the person from whom the item was seized or to the owner of the item written notice that the item, on the expiry of 7 days of the date specified in the notice, is deemed to be forfeited unless a claim to the item is made before then in accordance with subsection (6).

A person asserting —

On receipt of a notice under subsection (6), the Director‑General may direct that the item be released to the person who has given the notice or may refer the matter to a court for decision.

Where no claim is received on the expiry of 7 days of the date specified in the notice mentioned in subsection (5), the item to which the notice relates is deemed to be forfeited.

Where the owner of any item seized under the provisions of this Act consents to its disposal, the item is thereupon deemed to be forfeited.

Any item forfeited or deemed to be forfeited under this section must be delivered to an authorised officer and must be disposed of in such manner as the Director‑General thinks fit.

Every notice, order and other document of any nature which the Director‑General is empowered to give by this Act or the rules may be in such form as the Director‑General may determine, and may be given by any authorised officer.

Where any such notice, order or document requires authentication —

A misnomer or inaccurate description of any person, premises, building, street, place, vehicle or other conveyance named or described in any notice, order or document prepared, issued or served under or for the purposes of this Act or the rules does not in any way affect the operation of this Act or any such rules as respects that person, premises, building, street, place, vehicle or other conveyance if that person, premises, building, street, place, vehicle or other conveyance is so designated in the notice, order or document as to be identifiable.

No proceedings taken under or by virtue of this Act or any rules are invalid for want of form.

Any notice, order or document required or authorised by this Act or the rules to be served on any person, and any summons issued by a court against any person in connection with any offence under this Act or the rules may be served on the person —

Any notice, order, document or summons sent by registered post to any person in accordance with subsection (1) is deemed to be duly served on the person at the time when the notice, order, document or summons (as the case may be) would in the ordinary course of post be delivered and, in proving service of the notice, order, document or summons, it is sufficient to prove that the envelope containing the same was properly addressed, stamped and posted by registered post.

Any notice, order or document required or authorised by this Act or the rules to be served on the owner or occupier of any premises or any summons issued by a court against any such owner or occupier in connection with any offence under this Act or the rules may be served by —

Any notice, order or document required or authorised by this Act or the rules to be served on the owner or occupier of any premises or any summons issued by a court against any such owner or occupier in connection with any offence under this Act or the rules is deemed to be properly addressed if addressed by the description of the owner or occupier of the premises without further name or description.

Subject to subsection (3) —

For the purposes of this section, a document purporting to be a certificate mentioned in subsection (1) on its production by the prosecution is, unless the contrary is proved, deemed to be such a certificate.

A certificate mentioned in subsection (1) is not to be received in evidence pursuant to that subsection unless the person charged has been given —