Military Manoeuvres Act 1905

2020 REVISED EDITION

This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021

An Act to facilitate military manoeuvres and firing exercises.

[16 September 1963]

Short title

1. This Act is the Military Manoeuvres Act 1905.

Notice of manoeuvres

2.—(1) Whenever the number of troops to be engaged in military manoeuvres exceeds 500, notice in writing shall be given to the secretary to the Armed Forces Council at least one month before the date on which it is proposed to execute such manoeuvres, specifying —

(a)	the date of the commencement of the manoeuvres, the period not exceeding 3 months during which and approximately the limits within which the manoeuvres are to be executed; and
(b)	a date not earlier than one month from the conclusion of the manoeuvres within which claims for compensation arising from the putting in force of the provisions of this Act shall be sent to the secretary to the Armed Forces Council.

Publication of notice

(2) The secretary to the Armed Forces Council shall cause copies of such notice to be posted in every village and at other convenient places within the limits mentioned in the notice at least 14 days before the day named for the commencement of the manoeuvres.

When no notice necessary

(3) Whenever the number of troops to be engaged in the manoeuvres does not exceed 500 no such notice as mentioned in subsection (1) shall be necessary; and if no such notice is given, the manoeuvres shall not extend beyond a period of 48 hours.

Powers of persons engaged in manoeuvres

3.—(1) When any military manoeuvres are being executed under this Act, such persons as are engaged in the manoeuvres may within the limits specified in the notice, if any, as aforesaid and during the specified period —

(a)	pass over and encamp, construct military works not of a permanent character and execute military manoeuvres on any land; and
(b)	supply themselves with water from any sources of water, public or private, and for that purpose dam up any running water,

provided that such damming under paragraph (b) does not interfere with any trade or industry and that nothing in this Act shall authorise the taking of water from any source of supply belonging to a private owner or public authority except subject to the supply shown to be required by those entitled to use the water supply.

(2) Nothing in this Act shall authorise entry on or interference with any dwelling house, place of worship, school, factory, store or premises used for the carrying on of any business or manufacture or any ground attached to any place of worship or school or any premises enclosed within the curtilage of or attached to any dwelling house.

Compensation for damage

4.—(1) Full compensation shall be paid for any injury or damage to persons or property or interference with rights or privileges arising from putting in force any of the provisions of this Act, whether or not occasioned by the acts or defaults of the forces engaged in the manoeuvres, including therein all expenses reasonably incurred in the protection of persons, property, rights and privileges, and any damage by reason of excessive weight or extraordinary traffic caused to any highway for the repair of which any public body or any individual is responsible.

(2) The compensation shall be paid to all persons who send in their claims to the secretary to the Armed Forces Council within the period named in the notice or, if there is no such notice, to the secretary within one month from the conclusion of the manoeuvres.

Assessment of compensation

5.—(1) If the amount of compensation is not settled by agreement between the Armed Forces Council and the claimant, the difference between them shall be referred to arbitration, and the sending in of a claim for compensation shall be treated as a submission to arbitration under the Arbitration Act.

(2) The reference shall be to 2 arbitrators having power to appoint an umpire under the Arbitration Act.

Offences

6.—(1) If within a manoeuvring ground and during the continuance of any military manoeuvres under this Act, any person —

(a)	wilfully and unlawfully interferes with the execution of the manoeuvres;
(b)	without due authority enters or remains in any camp;
(c)	without due authority moves any flag or other mark distinguishing for the purposes of the manoeuvres any lands; or
(d)	maliciously cuts or damages any telegraph or telephone wire laid down by or for the use of the forces engaged in the manoeuvres,

he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.

(2) Such person may be arrested without a warrant and any animal or vehicle under his charge may be removed by any police officer or by order of any commissioned officer of the forces engaged in the manoeuvres.

Manoeuvres not to be held in catchment area of waterworks

7. Except with the Public Utilities Board’s approval, no military manoeuvres shall be executed and no military encampment made on any land forming part of the catchment area in connection with the impounding reservoir of any public waterworks or on any land set apart for the collection of water for the supply of any public waterworks.

[Act 24 of 2022 wef 28/10/2022]

Manoeuvring and firing grounds

8.—(1) It shall be lawful for the Minister from time to time by proclamation to declare —

(a)	that any area specified in the proclamation shall be a manoeuvring ground; or
(b)	that any area specified in the proclamation shall be a firing ground,

and from time to time in the like manner to declare that any such area or part of that area shall cease to be a manoeuvring ground or a firing ground, as the case may be.

(2) A manoeuvring ground may include any land, sea, tidal water or shore on which or over which aircraft can manoeuvre or from which they can take off or on which they can alight.

(3) A firing ground may include any land, sea, tidal water or shore on which or over which artillery or rifle practices, air firing, bomb dropping or torpedo dropping practices can be carried out, whether from weapons on the ground or from aircraft in flight.

Powers of Armed Forces Council with respect to manoeuvring ground

9.—(1) The Armed Forces Council shall have the following powers in respect of any manoeuvring ground so declared under this Act:

(a)	it may at any time direct military or air force manoeuvres to be carried on within the manoeuvring ground without giving the notice required by section 2;
(b)	it may exercise with respect to the performance of manoeuvres within the manoeuvring ground all the powers for the purpose of military manoeuvres as set out in section 3.

(2) All the provisions in this Act with regard to —

(a)	the powers exercisable for the purpose of military manoeuvres;
(b)	compensation for damage and assessment of compensation; and
(c)	offences,

shall be applicable to all manoeuvres carried on, in and over the manoeuvring ground.

Powers of Armed Forces Council in respect of firing ground

10.—(1) The Armed Forces Council shall have the following powers in respect of any firing ground so declared under this Act:

(a)

it may at any time cause firing exercises, either on the ground or from the air, or experiments in gunnery, or any act or practice incidental to such exercises or experiments, or bombing or torpedo practices, or any other military or air force exercises to be carried out in or over the firing ground, giving not less than 24 hours’ notice thereof to the occupiers of land in or over which such exercises, experiments, acts or practices are to take place, by the hoisting of a red flag in a conspicuous position within the firing area;

(b)

it may cause to be removed all or any buildings within the firing ground or any trees or other things which may hinder or interfere with the full exercise of the rights given by this Act and may prohibit the erection of any new building within the firing ground.

(2) All the provisions in this Act with regard to —

(a)	the powers exercisable with regard to military manoeuvres;
(b)	compensation for damage and assessment of compensation; and
(c)	offences,

shall be applicable to any military or air force exercises carried on, in and over the firing ground.

Rules for firing grounds

11.—(1) The Armed Forces Council may make rules for securing the safety of the public during the use of any firing ground for the purposes of military or air force exercises, and may, by those rules, among other things —

(a)	exclude all persons not engaged in the military or air force exercises from the whole or any part of the firing ground;
(b)	regulate the conduct of any persons permitted to be within the firing ground while the exercises are being carried on; and
(c)	prescribe a penalty not exceeding $2,000 or 6 months’ imprisonment or both for any contravention of any rule.

(2) All such rules shall be published in the Gazette, and copies of the rules in Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English shall be posted in at least 3 conspicuous places within or near the firing ground.

(3) If any such rules injuriously affect or obstruct the exercise of any private right of any person in or over any sea, tidal water or shore, that person shall be entitled to compensation, and the compensation shall, in case of dispute, be ascertained in the manner provided by section 13.

(4) Any such rules which affect any public right shall be presented to Parliament and shall not come into force until approved, with or without amendment, by a resolution of Parliament. For the purposes of this subsection, “public right” means any right of navigation, anchoring or fishing.

(5) Where an area to which rules made under this section apply consists of any sea or tidal water, or the shore thereof, and the boundaries of the area cannot, in the opinion of the Armed Forces Council, be conveniently marked by permanent marks, those boundaries shall be deemed to be sufficiently marked for the purposes of this Act if sufficient means are taken to warn the public from entering the area.

(6) Any officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer or military policeman of the Singapore Armed Forces or any police officer may arrest without warrant any person found in any firing ground in contravention of the rules made under this section and may remove him and any animal or vehicle under his charge.

Compensation

12. Compensation shall be paid to the owners or occupiers or both of land within any firing ground for any loss or damage arising from the land owned or occupied by them being proclaimed a firing ground under this Act, such compensation to be independent of and in addition to any compensation in respect of damage for which compensation may be awarded to them under section 4.

Form and assessment of compensation

13.—(1) Such compensation, unless otherwise agreed, shall be in the form of an annual rent payable to every person entitled to the compensation so long as the land in respect of which it is paid continues to be a firing ground.

(2) The amount of such compensation shall be such as is agreed upon between the Armed Forces Council and the claimant, and if the amount of the compensation cannot be settled by agreement, the difference between the parties shall be referred to arbitration, and the sending in of a claim for compensation shall be treated as a submission to arbitration under the Arbitration Act.

(3) The reference shall be to 2 arbitrators having power to appoint an umpire under the Arbitration Act.

Time limit for claim to compensation

14.—(1) Every claim for compensation under section 11(3) or 12 shall be made in writing to the secretary to the Armed Forces Council, within 2 months after the land, sea, tidal water or shore, as the case may be, in respect of which the claim is made has been used as a firing ground for the purposes of military or air force exercises by virtue of a declaration under this Act.

(2) No compensation shall be granted for any building erected or commenced after the posting of the rules as provided in section 11(2).

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Military Manoeuvres Act 1905

This Legislative History is a service provided by the Law Revision Commission on a best-efforts basis. It is not part of the Act.

Pictorial Overview of Predecessor Acts

Legislative History Details

PART 1
THE MILITARY MANœUVRES ORDINANCE 1902
(ORDINANCE XXXI OF 1902)

Ordinance XXXI of 1902—The Military Manœuvres Ordinance 1902

Bill

G.N. No. 1118/1902

First Reading

5 September 1902

Second Reading

10 October 1902

Notice of Amendments

7 November 1902

Third Reading

14 November 1902

Commencement

14 November 1902

Ordinance X of 1911—The Military Manœuvres Ordinance 1902 Amendment Ordinance 1911

Bill

G.N. No. 379/1911

First Reading

24 March 1911

Second Reading

31 March 1911

Notice of Amendments

21 April 1911

Third Reading

28 April 1911

Commencement

6 May 1911

PART 2
THE MILITARY MANœUVRES AND ARTILLERY PRACTICE ORDINANCE 1903
(ORDINANCE XXIII OF 1903)

Ordinance XXIII of 1903—The Military Manœuvres and Artillery Practice Ordinance 1903

Bill

G.N. No. 172/1903

First Reading

4 September 1903

Second Reading

11 September 1903

Notice of Amendments

18 September 1903

Third Reading

25 September 1903

Commencement

25 September 1903

Ordinance XII of 1908—The Military Manœuvres and Artillery Practice Ordinance 1903 Amendment Ordinance 1908

Bill

G.N. No. 878/1908

First Reading

7 August 1908

Second Reading

21 August 1908

Notice of Amendments

4 September 1908

Third Reading

4 September 1908

Commencement

9 September 1908

PART 3
MILITARY MANœUVRES ORDINANCE
(CHAPTER 81, 1955 REVISED EDITION)

1920 Revised Edition—Ordinance No. 80 (Military Manœuvres)

Operation

28 November 1921

Note:

This Revised Edition consolidated The Military Manœuvres Ordinance 1902 (Ordinance XXXI of 1902) and The Military Manœuvres and Artillery Practice Ordinance 1903 (Ordinance XXIII of 1903).

1926 Revised Edition—Ordinance No. 80 (Military Manœuvres)

Operation

1 August 1926

Ordinance 18 of 1933—Military Manœuvres (Amendment) Ordinance, 1933

Bill

G.N. No. 479/1933

First Reading

1 May 1933

Second Reading

31 July 1933

Notice of Amendments

31 July 1933

Third Reading

31 July 1933

Commencement

24 August 1933

1936 Revised Edition—Military Manœuvres Ordinance (Chapter 103)

Operation

1 September 1936

Ordinance 6 of 1953—Military Manœuvres (Amendment) Ordinance, 1953

Bill

45/1952

First Reading

16 December 1952

Second Reading

25 February 1953

Notice of Amendments

25 February 1953

Third Reading

25 February 1953

Commencement

3 March 1953

10.

Ordinance 37 of 1952—Law Revision (Penalties Amendment) Ordinance, 1952

(Amendments made by section 2 read with item 26 of the Schedule to the above Ordinance)

Bill

32/1952

First Reading

16 September 1952

Second and Third Readings

14 October 1952

Commencement

30 April 1955 (section 2 read with item 26 of the Schedule)

11.

1955 Revised Edition—Military Manœuvres Ordinance (Chapter 81)

Operation

1 July 1956

12.

Ordinance 33 of 1958—Military Manoeuvres (Amendment) Ordinance, 1958

Bill

139/1958

First Reading

22 April 1958

Second and Third Readings

11 June 1958

Commencement

1 November 1958

13.

G.N. No. S (N.S.) 177/1959—Singapore Constitution (Modification of Laws) (No. 3) Order, 1959

Commencement

20 November 1959

14.

G.N. No. S (N.S.) 178/1959—Singapore Constitution (Modification of Laws) (No. 4) Order, 1959

Commencement

20 November 1959

PART 4
MILITARY MANOEUVRES ACT 1905
(2020 REVISED EDITION)

15.

M. Enactment 5 of 1905 (Selangor)—The Military Manœuvres Enactment, 1905

Commencement

28 April 1905

16.

F.M.S. Chapter 43—Military Manœuvres Enactment

Operation

28 February 1935

Application

16 September 1963

Note:

This revised Enactment was extended to Singapore by the Modification of Laws (Armed Forces) (Singapore) Order, 1963 (L.N. 233/1963 (G.N. Sp. No. S 5/1963)) on 16 September 1963.

17.

L.N. 233/1963 (G.N. Sp. No. S 5/1963)—Modification of Laws (Armed Forces) (Singapore) Order, 1963

Commencement

16 September 1963

Note:

This Order extended the Federated Malay States Military Manoeuvres Enactment (F.M.S. Chapter 43) to Singapore.

18.

L.N. 150/1965 (G.N. Sp. No. S 66/1965)—Modification of Laws (Military Manœuvres) (Repeal) (Singapore) Order, 1965

Commencement

15 April 1965

Note:

This Order repealed the Military Manœuvres Ordinance (Chapter 81, 1955 Revised Edition).

19.

G.N. No. S 166/1966—Modification of Laws (Military Manœuvres) Order, 1966

Commencement

5 August 1966

20.

1966 Reprint—Military Manœuvres Enactment (M. (F.M.S.) Chapter 43)

Reprint

17 August 1966

21.

1970 Revised Edition—Military Manœuvres Act (Chapter 232)

Operation

31 July 1971

22.

Act 8 of 1983—Military Manoeuvres (Amendment) Act, 1983

Bill

26/1982

First Reading

3 December 1982

Second and Third Readings

4 March 1983

Commencement

15 April 1983

23.

1985 Revised Edition—Military Manœuvres Act (Chapter 182)

Operation

30 March 1987

24.

Act 7 of 1997—Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1997

(Amendments made by section 7 read with item (17) of the Second Schedule to the above Act)

Bill

6/1997

First Reading

11 July 1997

Second and Third Readings

25 August 1997

Commencement

1 October 1997 (section 7 read with item (17) of the Second Schedule)

25.

2014 Revised Edition—Military Manoeuvres Act (Chapter 182)

Operation

31 December 2014

26.

2020 Revised Edition—Military Manoeuvres Act 1905

Operation

31 December 2021

27.

Act 24 of 2022—Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Act 2022

(Amendments made by the above Act)

Bill

15/2022

First Reading

4 July 2022

Second and Third Readings

2 August 2022

Commencement

28 October 2022

Abbreviations

(updated on 29 August 2022)

G.N.

Gazette Notification

G.N. Sp.

Gazette Notification (Special Supplement)

L.A.

Legislative Assembly

L.N.

Legal Notification (Federal/Malaysian)

Malaya/Malaysia (including Federated Malay States, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya and Federation of Malaysia)

Parl.

Parliament

Subsidiary Legislation

S.I.

Statutory Instrument (United Kingdom)

S (N.S.)

Subsidiary Legislation (New Series)

S.S.G.G.

Straits Settlements Government Gazette

S.S.G.G. (E)

Straits Settlements Government Gazette (Extraordinary)