s 16E Nationality of religious group governing body
16E.—(1) This section applies to and in relation to every religious group only from a date declared by the Minister by order in the Gazette. (2) Subject to this Act, a religious group in Singapore must ensure that more than half of the total number of seats in its governing body are occupied or held by individuals who are citizens of Singapore unless the religious group is expressly allowed by the Minister to do otherwise after taking into account the circumstances for the religious observance or practices of the religious group and its community bonding among the people of Singapore. (3) Where a competent authority is satisfied that a religious group in Singapore has, in contravention of subsection (2), permitted half or more than half of the total number of seats in its governing body to be occupied or held by individuals who are not citizens of Singapore —(a) the competent authority may, by written notice to the religious group, direct the religious group to remove such number of members of the governing body who are not citizens of Singapore from their office within the period specified in the notice; and (b) the religious group must comply with that direction. (4) A competent authority is not required to give any person notice of, or consult any person on, the competent authority’s intention to direct under subsection (3) a religious group to remove an individual from his office. (5) If a religious group directed, or the individual required to be removed in a direction, under this section is aggrieved by the direction, the religious group or the individual (as the case may be) may, within 14 days after the notice under subsection (3) of the direction is given to the religious group or individual (as the case may be), appeal against the direction to the Minister. (6) Unless otherwise ordered by the Minister, the direction of the competent authority appealed against must be complied with until the determination of the appeal. (7) The Minister’s decision on an appeal is final. (8) Subject to this Act, in the event that for any reason (such as by resignation, death or otherwise), half or more than half of the total number of seats in the governing body of a religious group is occupied or held by individuals who are not citizens of Singapore, the religious group must give written notice of the event to the competent authority, within 30 days after the religious group first becomes aware of that event. (9) An order under subsection (1) cannot be revoked by another such order.[Act 31 of 2019 wef 01/11/2022]