§ 124 — Amendment of Parliamentary Elections Act 1954

124.—(1) Section 2(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by inserting, immediately after the definition of “Parliament”, the following definition:“ “political donation certificate” means a political donation certificate issued under section 63(3) of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 in respect of an election;”.

(2) Section 27 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended —(a)

by deleting subsection (3) and substituting the following subsection:“(3) Every candidate must, at the time of his or her nomination for election, deliver to the Returning Officer a political donation certificate issued to the candidate in respect of the election.”; and

(b)

[Deleted by Act 19 of 2025 wef 05/12/2025]

(3) Section 27B(3) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting paragraph (b) and substituting the following paragraph:“(b)

a political donation certificate issued to him or her in respect of the election; and”.

(4) Section 29(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting the words “issued by the Registrar of Political Donations”.

(5) Section 31(2) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting paragraph (a) and substituting the following paragraph:“(a)

the person is issued a political donation certificate in respect of that election;”.

(6) Section 61(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended —(a)

by deleting the word “or” at the end of paragraph (e), and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:“(ea)

being a candidate, knowingly makes the declaration required by section 73A falsely; or”; and

(b)

by deleting the words “paragraph (f)” in paragraph (v) and substituting the words “paragraph (ea) or (f)”.

(7) The Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by inserting, immediately after section 73, the following section:“Post‑election declaration by candidates

73A.—(1) Every candidate at an election must give to the Returning Officer a declaration that is in accordance with subsection (2), not later than the 7th day after the day that the result of the election is published under section 33(1)(b) or 51, as the case may be. (2) The declaration required by subsection (1) to be given by a candidate must be made by the candidate, be in the prescribed form, and further state that, to the best of the knowledge and belief of the candidate —(a)

no foreigner has been authorised by the candidate or his or her election agent under section 83(2) to conduct any election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part;

(b)

the conduct of any election activity by the candidate or his or her election agent for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was not undertaken by the candidate or election agent pursuant to any impermissible arrangement; and

(c)

the conduct of any election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was not authorised by the candidate or the candidate’s election agent, pursuant to any impermissible arrangement.

(3) For the purposes of this section, any declaration that is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer must not be regarded as so given unless the declaration is actually received by the Returning Officer.

(4) Where any declaration which is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under subsection (1), the candidate shall be guilty of an illegal practice; and the provisions of this subsection are in addition to and not in derogation of section 61.

(5) In addition, where any declaration which is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under subsection (1), the candidate must not, after the expiry of that time, sit or vote in Parliament as a Member until either —(a)

the declaration has been given; or

(b)

the date of the allowance of an authorised excuse under section 87A for failing to give the declaration.

(6) A candidate who sits or votes in contravention of subsection (5) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a penalty of $500 for every day on which he or she so sits or votes.

(7) In this section —“arrangement” includes a contract, an agreement, understanding or other arrangement of any kind, whether written or unwritten;

“foreign principal” has the meaning given by section 4 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021;

“foreigner” means an individual who is not a citizen of Singapore;

“impermissible arrangement”, in relation to a candidate or his or her election agent, means an arrangement —(a)

to which the candidate or election agent is party; and

(b)

under which the candidate or election agent (as the case may be) is accustomed or under an obligation (whether formal or informal) to engage in conduct in accordance with the directions, instructions or wishes of a foreign principal or, where the foreign principal is a corporation, of the directors of the foreign principal.”.

(8) Section 74 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting subsection (5) and substituting the following subsection:“(5) For the purposes of this section, “donation” has the meaning given by the definition of “political donation” in section 51 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, and a donation is accepted by a candidate or an election agent if it is accepted within the meaning of that Act.”.

(9) The Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by inserting, immediately after section 87, the following section:“Authorised excuse for non‑compliance with section 73A

87A.—(1) Where —(a)

any declaration which is required by section 73A(1) to be given by a candidate at an election in an electoral division to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under that section, or being given contains a false statement; and

(b)

the candidate applies to an Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court and shows that the failure to give the declaration or the false statement in the declaration (as the case may be) has arisen by reason of the candidate’s illness, or by reason of inadvertence or of any reasonable cause of a like nature, and not by reason of any want of good faith on the part of the candidate,

the Judge may, after notice of the application, and on production of evidence of the grounds stated in the application, and of the good faith of the application, and otherwise, as to the Judge seems fit, and after giving the other candidates, the Returning Officer and any elector within the electoral division an opportunity of being heard, make such order for allowing an authorised excuse for the failure to give that declaration or for the false statement in that declaration (as the case may be) as the Judge considers just.

(2) The order under subsection (1) may make the allowance conditional upon the making of the declaration in a modified form or within an extended time, and upon the compliance with such other terms as to the Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court (as the case may be) seems best calculated for carrying into effect the objects of this Act.

(3) An order under subsection (1) allowing an authorised excuse relieves the candidate applying for the order from any liability or consequences under this Act in respect of the matter excused by the order.

(4) Where it is proved by the candidate to the Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court (as the case may be) that —(a)

any act or omission of the candidate’s election agent in relation to the conduct of election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was without the sanction or connivance of the candidate; and

(b)

the candidate took all reasonable steps for preventing the act or omission,

the Judge must relieve the candidate from the consequences of the act or omission on the part of the candidate’s election agent.

(5) The date of an order under subsection (1) or, if conditions and terms are to be complied with, the date at which the applicant fully complies with them is referred to in this Act as the date of the allowance of the excuse.”.

(10) Section 97 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended —(a)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (a) of subsection (3), the following paragraph:“(aa)

at any time before the end of 21 days after the date of the publication of the result of the election in the Gazette, as to the declaration required by section 73A from the Member whose election is questioned;”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the words “respecting election expenses” in subsection (5), the words “or make and give the declaration required by section 73A”; and

(c)

by deleting the words “subsection (3)” in subsection (5) and substituting the words “subsection (3)(a) or the date of the publication of the results of the election in the Gazette mentioned in subsection (3)(aa), as the case may be”.

(11) Form 8 in the First Schedule to the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting sub‑paragraph (d) and substituting the following sub‑paragraph:“(d)

a political donation certificate issued to the nominee in respect of the election;”.

(12) Form 19 in the First Schedule to the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended —(a)

by deleting footnote 1 in Section C and substituting the following footnote:“ 1

Donations that need not be recorded in a donation report under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 where a candidate is concerned.”;

(b)

by deleting footnote 5 in Section C and substituting the following footnote:“ 5

The expression “donation” has the meaning given by the definition of “political donation” in section 51 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, and “value” in relation to a donation has the meaning given by sections 15 and 51 of that Act where a candidate is concerned.”;

(c)

by deleting footnote 4 in subsections (1) and (2) of Section D and substituting in each case the following footnote:“ 4

The expression “donation” has the meaning given by the definition of “political donation” in section 51 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, and “value” in relation to a donation has the meaning given by sections 15 and 51 of that Act where a candidate is concerned.”; and

(d)

by deleting the words “Political Donations Act 2000” wherever they appear in Section D (except footnotes 4) and substituting in each case the words “Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021”.

—(1) Section 2(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by inserting, immediately after the definition of “Parliament”, the following definition:“ “political donation certificate” means a political donation certificate issued under section 63(3) of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 in respect of an election;”.

(2) Section 27 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended —(a)

by deleting subsection (3) and substituting the following subsection:“(3) Every candidate must, at the time of his or her nomination for election, deliver to the Returning Officer a political donation certificate issued to the candidate in respect of the election.”; and

(b)

[Deleted by Act 19 of 2025 wef 05/12/2025]

“(3) Every candidate must, at the time of his or her nomination for election, deliver to the Returning Officer a political donation certificate issued to the candidate in respect of the election.”; and

(3) Section 27B(3) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting paragraph (b) and substituting the following paragraph:“(b)

a political donation certificate issued to him or her in respect of the election; and”.

(4) Section 29(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting the words “issued by the Registrar of Political Donations”.

(5) Section 31(2) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting paragraph (a) and substituting the following paragraph:“(a)

the person is issued a political donation certificate in respect of that election;”.

(6) Section 61(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended —(a)

by deleting the word “or” at the end of paragraph (e), and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:“(ea)

being a candidate, knowingly makes the declaration required by section 73A falsely; or”; and

(b)

by deleting the words “paragraph (f)” in paragraph (v) and substituting the words “paragraph (ea) or (f)”.

(7) The Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by inserting, immediately after section 73, the following section:“Post‑election declaration by candidates

73A.—(1) Every candidate at an election must give to the Returning Officer a declaration that is in accordance with subsection (2), not later than the 7th day after the day that the result of the election is published under section 33(1)(b) or 51, as the case may be. (2) The declaration required by subsection (1) to be given by a candidate must be made by the candidate, be in the prescribed form, and further state that, to the best of the knowledge and belief of the candidate —(a)

no foreigner has been authorised by the candidate or his or her election agent under section 83(2) to conduct any election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part;

(b)

the conduct of any election activity by the candidate or his or her election agent for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was not undertaken by the candidate or election agent pursuant to any impermissible arrangement; and

(c)

the conduct of any election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was not authorised by the candidate or the candidate’s election agent, pursuant to any impermissible arrangement.

(3) For the purposes of this section, any declaration that is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer must not be regarded as so given unless the declaration is actually received by the Returning Officer.

(4) Where any declaration which is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under subsection (1), the candidate shall be guilty of an illegal practice; and the provisions of this subsection are in addition to and not in derogation of section 61.

(5) In addition, where any declaration which is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under subsection (1), the candidate must not, after the expiry of that time, sit or vote in Parliament as a Member until either —(a)

the declaration has been given; or

(b)

the date of the allowance of an authorised excuse under section 87A for failing to give the declaration.

(6) A candidate who sits or votes in contravention of subsection (5) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a penalty of $500 for every day on which he or she so sits or votes.

(7) In this section —“arrangement” includes a contract, an agreement, understanding or other arrangement of any kind, whether written or unwritten;

“foreign principal” has the meaning given by section 4 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021;

“foreigner” means an individual who is not a citizen of Singapore;

“impermissible arrangement”, in relation to a candidate or his or her election agent, means an arrangement —(a)

to which the candidate or election agent is party; and

(b)

under which the candidate or election agent (as the case may be) is accustomed or under an obligation (whether formal or informal) to engage in conduct in accordance with the directions, instructions or wishes of a foreign principal or, where the foreign principal is a corporation, of the directors of the foreign principal.”.

—(1) Every candidate at an election must give to the Returning Officer a declaration that is in accordance with subsection (2), not later than the 7th day after the day that the result of the election is published under section 33(1)(b) or 51, as the case may be.

(2) The declaration required by subsection (1) to be given by a candidate must be made by the candidate, be in the prescribed form, and further state that, to the best of the knowledge and belief of the candidate —(a)

no foreigner has been authorised by the candidate or his or her election agent under section 83(2) to conduct any election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part;

(b)

the conduct of any election activity by the candidate or his or her election agent for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was not undertaken by the candidate or election agent pursuant to any impermissible arrangement; and

(c)

the conduct of any election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success at that election of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was not authorised by the candidate or the candidate’s election agent, pursuant to any impermissible arrangement.

(3) For the purposes of this section, any declaration that is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer must not be regarded as so given unless the declaration is actually received by the Returning Officer.

(4) Where any declaration which is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under subsection (1), the candidate shall be guilty of an illegal practice; and the provisions of this subsection are in addition to and not in derogation of section 61.

(5) In addition, where any declaration which is required by subsection (1) to be given to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under subsection (1), the candidate must not, after the expiry of that time, sit or vote in Parliament as a Member until either —(a)

the declaration has been given; or

(b)

the date of the allowance of an authorised excuse under section 87A for failing to give the declaration.

(6) A candidate who sits or votes in contravention of subsection (5) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a penalty of $500 for every day on which he or she so sits or votes.

(7) In this section —“arrangement” includes a contract, an agreement, understanding or other arrangement of any kind, whether written or unwritten;

“foreign principal” has the meaning given by section 4 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021;

“foreigner” means an individual who is not a citizen of Singapore;

“impermissible arrangement”, in relation to a candidate or his or her election agent, means an arrangement —(a)

to which the candidate or election agent is party; and

(b)

under which the candidate or election agent (as the case may be) is accustomed or under an obligation (whether formal or informal) to engage in conduct in accordance with the directions, instructions or wishes of a foreign principal or, where the foreign principal is a corporation, of the directors of the foreign principal.”.

(8) Section 74 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting subsection (5) and substituting the following subsection:“(5) For the purposes of this section, “donation” has the meaning given by the definition of “political donation” in section 51 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, and a donation is accepted by a candidate or an election agent if it is accepted within the meaning of that Act.”.

“(5) For the purposes of this section, “donation” has the meaning given by the definition of “political donation” in section 51 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, and a donation is accepted by a candidate or an election agent if it is accepted within the meaning of that Act.”.

(9) The Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by inserting, immediately after section 87, the following section:“Authorised excuse for non‑compliance with section 73A

87A.—(1) Where —(a)

any declaration which is required by section 73A(1) to be given by a candidate at an election in an electoral division to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under that section, or being given contains a false statement; and

(b)

the candidate applies to an Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court and shows that the failure to give the declaration or the false statement in the declaration (as the case may be) has arisen by reason of the candidate’s illness, or by reason of inadvertence or of any reasonable cause of a like nature, and not by reason of any want of good faith on the part of the candidate,

the Judge may, after notice of the application, and on production of evidence of the grounds stated in the application, and of the good faith of the application, and otherwise, as to the Judge seems fit, and after giving the other candidates, the Returning Officer and any elector within the electoral division an opportunity of being heard, make such order for allowing an authorised excuse for the failure to give that declaration or for the false statement in that declaration (as the case may be) as the Judge considers just.

(2) The order under subsection (1) may make the allowance conditional upon the making of the declaration in a modified form or within an extended time, and upon the compliance with such other terms as to the Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court (as the case may be) seems best calculated for carrying into effect the objects of this Act.

(3) An order under subsection (1) allowing an authorised excuse relieves the candidate applying for the order from any liability or consequences under this Act in respect of the matter excused by the order.

(4) Where it is proved by the candidate to the Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court (as the case may be) that —(a)

any act or omission of the candidate’s election agent in relation to the conduct of election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was without the sanction or connivance of the candidate; and

(b)

the candidate took all reasonable steps for preventing the act or omission,

the Judge must relieve the candidate from the consequences of the act or omission on the part of the candidate’s election agent.

(5) The date of an order under subsection (1) or, if conditions and terms are to be complied with, the date at which the applicant fully complies with them is referred to in this Act as the date of the allowance of the excuse.”.

—(1) Where —(a)

any declaration which is required by section 73A(1) to be given by a candidate at an election in an electoral division to the Returning Officer is not so given within the time delimited under that section, or being given contains a false statement; and

(b)

the candidate applies to an Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court and shows that the failure to give the declaration or the false statement in the declaration (as the case may be) has arisen by reason of the candidate’s illness, or by reason of inadvertence or of any reasonable cause of a like nature, and not by reason of any want of good faith on the part of the candidate,

the Judge may, after notice of the application, and on production of evidence of the grounds stated in the application, and of the good faith of the application, and otherwise, as to the Judge seems fit, and after giving the other candidates, the Returning Officer and any elector within the electoral division an opportunity of being heard, make such order for allowing an authorised excuse for the failure to give that declaration or for the false statement in that declaration (as the case may be) as the Judge considers just.

(2) The order under subsection (1) may make the allowance conditional upon the making of the declaration in a modified form or within an extended time, and upon the compliance with such other terms as to the Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court (as the case may be) seems best calculated for carrying into effect the objects of this Act.

(3) An order under subsection (1) allowing an authorised excuse relieves the candidate applying for the order from any liability or consequences under this Act in respect of the matter excused by the order.

(4) Where it is proved by the candidate to the Election Judge or a Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court (as the case may be) that —(a)

any act or omission of the candidate’s election agent in relation to the conduct of election activity for the purpose of procuring the electoral success of the candidate, or the group of candidates of whom the candidate is part, was without the sanction or connivance of the candidate; and

(b)

the candidate took all reasonable steps for preventing the act or omission,

the Judge must relieve the candidate from the consequences of the act or omission on the part of the candidate’s election agent.

(5) The date of an order under subsection (1) or, if conditions and terms are to be complied with, the date at which the applicant fully complies with them is referred to in this Act as the date of the allowance of the excuse.”.

(10) Section 97 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended —(a)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (a) of subsection (3), the following paragraph:“(aa)

at any time before the end of 21 days after the date of the publication of the result of the election in the Gazette, as to the declaration required by section 73A from the Member whose election is questioned;”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the words “respecting election expenses” in subsection (5), the words “or make and give the declaration required by section 73A”; and

(c)

by deleting the words “subsection (3)” in subsection (5) and substituting the words “subsection (3)(a) or the date of the publication of the results of the election in the Gazette mentioned in subsection (3)(aa), as the case may be”.

(11) Form 8 in the First Schedule to the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended by deleting sub‑paragraph (d) and substituting the following sub‑paragraph:“(d)

a political donation certificate issued to the nominee in respect of the election;”.

(12) Form 19 in the First Schedule to the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 is amended —(a)

by deleting footnote 1 in Section C and substituting the following footnote:“ 1

Donations that need not be recorded in a donation report under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 where a candidate is concerned.”;

(b)

by deleting footnote 5 in Section C and substituting the following footnote:“ 5

The expression “donation” has the meaning given by the definition of “political donation” in section 51 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, and “value” in relation to a donation has the meaning given by sections 15 and 51 of that Act where a candidate is concerned.”;

(c)

by deleting footnote 4 in subsections (1) and (2) of Section D and substituting in each case the following footnote:“ 4

The expression “donation” has the meaning given by the definition of “political donation” in section 51 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, and “value” in relation to a donation has the meaning given by sections 15 and 51 of that Act where a candidate is concerned.”; and

(d)

by deleting the words “Political Donations Act 2000” wherever they appear in Section D (except footnotes 4) and substituting in each case the words “Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021”.