§ 80 — Application and interpretation

80.—(1) This Division applies only to the following persons:(a)

a politically significant person;

(b)

a person who is not a politically significant person but is —(i)

authorised by a permit under section 21 of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act 1974 to publish (for sale or otherwise) a newspaper in Singapore; or

(ii)

authorised by a licence or class licence under the Broadcasting Act 1994 to provide a licensable broadcasting service in or from Singapore, and the broadcasting service contains at least one Singapore news programme that is likely to be published for a purpose that is directed towards a political end in Singapore.

(2) In this Division —“author”, for any political matter, means an individual who authored, edited, translated, illustrated, choreographed, directed the production of, or otherwise contributed to, the contents of the political matter, but for a programme which is broadcast or a performance, does not include an individual who is solely a presenter of the content of the programme or a performer of content provided by another;

“Singapore news programme” means any programme containing any news, intelligence, report of occurrence, or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or other aspect of Singapore in any language —(a)

whether or not it is presenter‑based;

(b)

whether or not provided by a third party;

(c)

whether paid or free; and

(d)

whether or not provided at regular intervals,

but does not include a programme produced by or on behalf of the Government;

“newspaper” means a publication printed in any language and published for sale or free distribution at regular intervals or otherwise, and containing any of the following or a combination of the following:(a)

news, intelligence or reports of occurrences or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or any other aspect of Singapore in any language;

(b)

any remarks, observations or comments, in relation to such news, intelligence or reports of occurrences or to any other matter of public interest, or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or any other aspect of Singapore in any language,

but does not include a publication produced by or on behalf of the Government;

“political matter” means an article or essay, a commentary, talk, performance or programme (or part of an article or essay, a commentary, talk, performance or programme) that can reasonably be regarded as intended —(a)

to promote the interests of a politically significant person in Singapore;

(b)

to influence, or seek to influence, the outcome of any election or national referendum under any written law;

(c)

to bring about, or seek to bring about, changes of the law in the whole or a part of Singapore, or to otherwise influence, or seek to influence, the legislative process in Singapore;

(d)

to influence Singapore governmental decisions; or

(e)

to influence any aspect or to promote or oppose political views, or public conduct relating to activities that have become the subject of a political debate, in Singapore,

even though it can reasonably be regarded as intended to achieve any other purpose as well.

—(1) This Division applies only to the following persons:(a)

a politically significant person;

(b)

a person who is not a politically significant person but is —(i)

authorised by a permit under section 21 of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act 1974 to publish (for sale or otherwise) a newspaper in Singapore; or

(ii)

authorised by a licence or class licence under the Broadcasting Act 1994 to provide a licensable broadcasting service in or from Singapore, and the broadcasting service contains at least one Singapore news programme that is likely to be published for a purpose that is directed towards a political end in Singapore.

(2) In this Division —“author”, for any political matter, means an individual who authored, edited, translated, illustrated, choreographed, directed the production of, or otherwise contributed to, the contents of the political matter, but for a programme which is broadcast or a performance, does not include an individual who is solely a presenter of the content of the programme or a performer of content provided by another;

“Singapore news programme” means any programme containing any news, intelligence, report of occurrence, or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or other aspect of Singapore in any language —(a)

whether or not it is presenter‑based;

(b)

whether or not provided by a third party;

(c)

whether paid or free; and

(d)

whether or not provided at regular intervals,

but does not include a programme produced by or on behalf of the Government;

“newspaper” means a publication printed in any language and published for sale or free distribution at regular intervals or otherwise, and containing any of the following or a combination of the following:(a)

news, intelligence or reports of occurrences or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or any other aspect of Singapore in any language;

(b)

any remarks, observations or comments, in relation to such news, intelligence or reports of occurrences or to any other matter of public interest, or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or any other aspect of Singapore in any language,

but does not include a publication produced by or on behalf of the Government;

“political matter” means an article or essay, a commentary, talk, performance or programme (or part of an article or essay, a commentary, talk, performance or programme) that can reasonably be regarded as intended —(a)

to promote the interests of a politically significant person in Singapore;

(b)

to influence, or seek to influence, the outcome of any election or national referendum under any written law;

(c)

to bring about, or seek to bring about, changes of the law in the whole or a part of Singapore, or to otherwise influence, or seek to influence, the legislative process in Singapore;

(d)

to influence Singapore governmental decisions; or

(e)

to influence any aspect or to promote or oppose political views, or public conduct relating to activities that have become the subject of a political debate, in Singapore,

even though it can reasonably be regarded as intended to achieve any other purpose as well.