s 18 Power of Minister to substitute another officer for Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner
18. —(1) Whenever by any written law power is given to the Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner to grant licences for any purpose, the Minister may appoint by name or office — ( a ) a police officer not below the rank of superintendent or assistant superintendent in the case of permits under the Public Order Act 2009; or ( b ) any person (whether or not a police officer) in any other case, to grant such licences in the place of or in addition to the Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner, as the case may be. [15/2009; 10/2015] [Act 5 of 2025 wef 09/03/2025] (1A) An appointment under subsection (1) must be published in the Gazette . [Act 5 of 2025 wef 09/03/2025] (2) Any licence granted by any person appointed under subsection (1) is as valid and effectual for all purposes as if the licence had been granted by the Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner. (3) Whenever by any written law power is given to the Commissioner to hear an appeal against any decision, and the decision‑maker is a police officer who, if not for this subsection, may hear that appeal, then despite section 17(1), the appeal must be heard and determined by — ( a ) the Commissioner in person (and no other); or ( b ) if the Commissioner is absent or incapable for any reason of hearing and determining that appeal, a public officer who is not the decision‑maker whose decision is appealed against and not subordinate to that decision‑maker, and is designated by the Minister to hear and determine that appeal. [10/2015] (4) In this section — “grant”, when used with reference to a licence, includes issue or give; “licence” includes a pass and a permit. —(1) Whenever by any written law power is given to the Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner to grant licences for any purpose, the Minister may appoint by name or office — ( a ) a police officer not below the rank of superintendent or assistant superintendent in the case of permits under the Public Order Act 2009; or ( b ) any person (whether or not a police officer) in any other case, to grant such licences in the place of or in addition to the Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner, as the case may be. [15/2009; 10/2015] [Act 5 of 2025 wef 09/03/2025] (1A) An appointment under subsection (1) must be published in the Gazette . [Act 5 of 2025 wef 09/03/2025] (2) Any licence granted by any person appointed under subsection (1) is as valid and effectual for all purposes as if the licence had been granted by the Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner. (3) Whenever by any written law power is given to the Commissioner to hear an appeal against any decision, and the decision‑maker is a police officer who, if not for this subsection, may hear that appeal, then despite section 17(1), the appeal must be heard and determined by — ( a ) the Commissioner in person (and no other); or ( b ) if the Commissioner is absent or incapable for any reason of hearing and determining that appeal, a public officer who is not the decision‑maker whose decision is appealed against and not subordinate to that decision‑maker, and is designated by the Minister to hear and determine that appeal. [10/2015] (4) In this section — “grant”, when used with reference to a licence, includes issue or give; “licence” includes a pass and a permit.