Application to person outside Singapore
Open ↗17.—(1) Without affecting the jurisdiction and power conferred under this Act or any other written law, the court has in the circumstances specified in subsections (2) to (6) —(a)
jurisdiction to try any offence under section 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 and impose the full punishment under this Act; and
(b)
jurisdiction to make any order under section 12 or 13 on the basis of a contravention of section 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.
(2) Where the victim under section 3, 4, 5 or 6 was outside Singapore when the accused or respondent (as the case may be) used the words or behaviour, made the communication or published the identity information, in contravention of any such section, the court has jurisdiction if the accused or respondent (as the case may be) was in Singapore when that accused or respondent used those words or behaviour, made that communication or published that identity information, as the case may be.[17/2019]
(3) Where the accused or respondent (as the case may be) was outside Singapore when that accused or respondent used the words or behaviour, made the communication or published the identity information, in contravention of section 3, the court has jurisdiction if —(a)
the victim of the contravention was in Singapore when the use of those words or behaviour, the making of that communication or that publication of identity information caused the victim harassment, alarm, distress or humiliation; and[Act 23 of 2025 wef 29/06/2026]
(b)
the accused or respondent (as the case may be) knew or had reason to believe that the victim of the contravention would be in Singapore at the time referred to in paragraph (a).[17/2019]
(4) Where the accused or respondent (as the case may be) was outside Singapore when that accused or respondent used the words or behaviour, made the communication or published the identity information, in contravention of section 4, 5 or 6, the court has jurisdiction if —(a)
the victim of the contravention was in Singapore when the victim heard, saw or otherwise perceived those words or behaviour, that communication or that identity information; and
(b)
the accused or respondent (as the case may be) knew or had reason to believe that the victim of the contravention would be in Singapore at the time referred to in paragraph (a).[17/2019]
(5) Where the victim under section 7 was outside Singapore when any of the acts or omissions associated with unlawful stalking occurred in contravention of that section, the court has jurisdiction if the accused or respondent (as the case may be) was in Singapore when any of those acts or omissions occurred.[17/2019]
(6) Where the accused or respondent (as the case may be) was outside Singapore when any of the acts or omissions associated with unlawful stalking occurred in contravention of section 7, the court has jurisdiction if —(a)
the victim of the contravention was in Singapore when any of those acts or omissions occurred; and
(b)
the accused or respondent (as the case may be) knew or had reason to believe that the victim of the contravention was in Singapore at the time referred to in paragraph (a).[17/2019]
(7) Without affecting the jurisdiction and power conferred under this Act or any other written law, the court has in the circumstances specified in subsections (8) and (9) jurisdiction to try any offence under section 10 for failure to comply with an order and impose the full punishment under this Act.
(8) In the case of an order prohibiting the respondent from doing any thing in relation to the victim or to any related person specified in the order, where the victim or the related person was outside Singapore when the respondent did any thing prohibited by the order, the court has jurisdiction if the respondent was in Singapore when that respondent did that thing.[17/2019]
(9) In the case of an order prohibiting the respondent from doing any thing in relation to the victim or to any related person specified in the order, the court has jurisdiction —(a)
where the respondent was outside Singapore when that respondent failed to comply with an order prohibiting him or her from doing any thing in relation to the victim, if —(i)
the victim was in Singapore when the thing done by the respondent in contravention of the order was heard, seen or otherwise perceived by the victim; and
(ii)
the respondent knew or had reason to believe that the victim would be in Singapore at the time referred to in sub‑paragraph (i);
(b)
where the respondent was outside Singapore when that respondent failed to comply with an order prohibiting him or her from doing any thing in relation to any related person specified in the order, if —(i)
the related person was in Singapore when the thing done by the respondent in contravention of the order was heard, seen or otherwise perceived by the related person; and
(ii)
the respondent knew or had reason to believe that the related person would be in Singapore at the time referred to in sub‑paragraph (i); and
(c)
where the respondent was outside Singapore when that respondent failed to comply with an order prohibiting him or her from publishing or continuing to publish any communication, if —(i)
the communication was heard, seen or otherwise perceived by a section of the public in Singapore; and
(ii)
the respondent knew or had reason to believe that communication would be heard, seen or otherwise perceived by a section of the public in Singapore.[17/2019]
(10) In subsections (8) and (9) —(a)
“victim”, in relation to an offence under section 10 for failure to comply with an order, means the victim under section 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 (as the case may be) in whose favour the order was made;
(b)
“respondent”, in relation to an offence under section 10 for failure to comply with an order, means the person who is alleged to have failed to comply with the order in contravention of section 10; and
(c)
a reference to any thing done by the respondent includes any words or behaviour used or communication made by the respondent.
Power of arrest
Open ↗18.—(1) Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person offending in his or her view against any of the provisions of this Act, and take the person before a Magistrate’s Court to be dealt with according to law.[17/2019]
(2) Any police officer may also arrest without warrant any person reasonably suspected of having committed an offence under section 10(1) in the circumstances prescribed in regulations made under section 20, and take that person before a Magistrate’s Court to be dealt with according to law.[17/2019]
Amendment of Schedule
Open ↗18A. The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, amend the Schedule.[17/2019]
Rules of Court
Open ↗19.—(1) The Rules Committee constituted under section 80(3) of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 may make Rules of Court to regulate and prescribe the procedure and practice to be followed in respect of civil proceedings under this Act and in the Protection from Harassment Court.[17/2019]
(2) Without affecting subsection (1), Rules of Court may be made for the following purposes:(a)
to provide for expedited procedures;
(b)
to provide for any orders made under this Act to be published in a specified manner;
(c)
to empower the court to make any ancillary orders for the purposes of this Act;
(d)
in relation to proceedings for an order under section 11, 12 or 13 or Division 2 of Part 3, where the name of any party to whom the order is intended to apply is unknown, for that party to be identified by an Internet location address, a website, a username or account, an electronic mail address or any other unique identifier;[Act 23 of 2025 wef 29/06/2026]
(e)
to prescribe the persons who may bring civil proceedings under this Act on behalf of —(i)
any victim mentioned in section 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7; or
(ii)
any subject mentioned in Division 2 of Part 3;
(f)
to provide for the costs (including disbursements) and fees of any civil proceedings under this Act, and for regulating any matter relating to the costs of such proceedings;
(g)
to prescribe anything that this Act requires or permits to be prescribed by Rules of Court.[17/2019]
(2A) Without affecting subsections (1) and (2), Rules of Court may be made, in relation to a Protection from Harassment Court, for the following purposes:(a)
to provide for any civil proceedings in that Court to be conducted in an informal manner;
(b)
to provide for the adoption of a judge‑led approach in any civil proceedings in that Court;
(c)
to provide that that Court is not bound by the rules of evidence in the conduct of any civil proceedings, and may inform itself on any matter in such manner as it thinks fit;
(d)
to prescribe the persons who may act for a party to any civil proceedings in that Court;
(e)
to expressly empower that Court to do any of the following things in any civil proceedings in that Court, where that Court thinks it fit to do so in the interest of justice, safety or propriety:(i)
to order the redaction of any information (including the name of a party) contained in any document filed in those civil proceedings;
(ii)
to order that those civil proceedings be heard in private;
(iii)
to order any person to do any act or refrain from any conduct, so as to prevent the identification of any witness or party in those civil proceedings;
(f)
to expressly empower that Court to decide any matter in the absence of any party to any civil proceedings in that Court, if that party fails without reasonable excuse to attend any civil proceedings in that Court, even if the interests of that party are prejudicially affected by that decision;
(g)
to provide for the costs (including disbursements) and fees of any civil proceedings in that Court, and for any such costs or fees not to apply except in certain specified circumstances.[17/2019]
(3) Rules of Court may, instead of providing for any matter, refer to any provision made or to be made about that matter by practice directions issued for the time being by the Registrar of the Supreme Court or the Registrar of the State Courts, as the case may be.
Family Justice Rules
Open ↗19A.—(1) The Family Justice Rules Committee constituted under section 46(1) of the Family Justice Act 2014 may make Family Justice Rules to regulate and prescribe the procedure and practice to be followed in the Family Justice Courts in respect of civil proceedings under this Act that are within the jurisdiction of the Family Justice Courts.
(2) The Family Justice Rules may, instead of providing for any matter, refer to any provision made or to be made about that matter by practice directions issued for the time being by the registrar of the Family Justice Courts.[Act 17 of 2019 wef 15/10/2024]
Regulations
Open ↗20.—(1) The Minister may make regulations for carrying out the purposes of this Act, except any matter —(a)
for which Rules of Court may be made under section 19; or
(b)
mentioned in subsection (2).[17/2019]
(2) For the purposes of section 13B, the Minister charged with the responsibility for health may make regulations relating to the treatment of a person under a mandatory treatment order.[17/2019]
Presentation to Parliament
Open ↗20A. All orders made under sections 13A and 18A, Rules of Court made under section 19, Family Justice Rules made under section 19A and regulations made under section 20 must be presented to Parliament as soon as possible after publication in the Gazette.[17/2019]
Exemptions
Open ↗21.—(1) The following orders must not be made in respect of any class of persons, as prescribed under subsection (2):(a)
a protection order made under section 12(2) that provides any thing under section 12(2B)(b), or an expedited protection order made under section 13(1) that so provides;
(b)
a protection order made under section 12(2E), or an expedited protection order made under section 13(1B);
(ba)
a protection order made under section 12(2F), or an expedited protection order made under section 13(1C);
(bb)
a protection order made under section 12(2G), or an expedited protection order made under section 13(1D);[Act 23 of 2025 wef 29/06/2026]
(c)
any order made under Division 2 of Part 3.[17/2019]
(2) The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, prescribe the classes of persons, and the orders in respect of each class of persons so prescribed, to which subsection (1) applies.[17/2019]
(3) Every order made under subsection (2) must be presented to Parliament as soon as possible after publication in the Gazette.
Source: Singapore Statutes Online (Attorney-General's Chambers), © Government of Singapore.
