Enlistment (Advisory Boards) Regulations 2003

Enlistment Act 1970

(Section 37(2))

Enlistment (Advisory Boards)
Regulations 2003

2024 REVISED EDITION

(18 December 2024)

[25 August 2003]

Citation

1.  These Regulations are the Enlistment (Advisory Boards) Regulations 2003.

Definitions

2.  In these Regulations —

“advisory board” means an advisory board convened under regulation 5;

“chairperson” means the chairperson of an advisory board;

“panel” means the panel appointed under regulation 3;

“secretary” means a secretary of an advisory board appointed under regulation 4.

Appointment of panel

3.—(1)  For the purpose of enabling advisory boards to be convened in accordance with regulation 5, the Minister must appoint a panel consisting of such number of civilians and members of the Singapore Armed Forces as the Minister may determine.

(2)  A member of the panel may be appointed for such term as the Minister may determine.

(3)  The Minister may at any time revoke the appointment of any member of the panel or fill any vacancy in its membership.

(4)  The Minister must appoint from the panel civilians who may serve as chairpersons.

Appointment of secretaries

4.  For the purpose of carrying out the administrative duties connected with advisory boards, the Director of Manpower must appoint such number of secretaries as the Director of Manpower may determine.

Convening and composition of advisory board

5.—(1)  An advisory board must be convened by its secretary on behalf of the proper authority as often as may be necessary.

(2)  Each advisory board consists of —

(a) a chairperson; and

(b) any other member or members that the proper authority may determine,

all of whom must be members of the panel.

Referral of matters to advisory board

6.—(1)  The proper authority may, if the proper authority thinks fit, refer any matter to an advisory board requesting it to express its opinions or recommendations.

(2)  Without limiting paragraph (1), the proper authority may refer to an advisory board through the advisory board’s secretary the following matters:

(a) any application by a person for postponement of the date of enlistment in full-time service;

(b) any application by a person for exemption from enlistment in full-time service or operationally ready national service on grounds other than medical grounds;

(c) any application by a person in full-time service for postponement of or exemption from full-time service;

(d) any application by a person in operationally ready national service under section 14(1)(b) of the Act for postponement of or exemption from such operationally ready national service;

(e) any application by a person in regular service for release from such service before the end of his term of service.

(3)  Despite paragraphs (1) and (2), the proper authority must exercise the proper authority’s discretion and is not bound by any opinions or recommendations expressed by an advisory board.

Investigation

7.—(1)  Where a matter is to be referred to an advisory board, its secretary, if the secretary considers it necessary, must cause an investigation to be carried out.

(2)  The secretary must, at the end of the investigation, compile an investigation report and present the report to the advisory board.

Deliberations of advisory board

8.—(1)  In its deliberations on any application or matter, the advisory board must consider all the relevant materials, documents and evidence, including any oral evidence and any investigation report in respect of the application or matter.

(2)  Where an advisory board considers that the evidence in respect of an application or matter is insufficient, it may request the secretary to conduct further investigations.

(3)  Where an advisory board considers it necessary, it may request the attendance of any person whose knowledge or opinion may assist the advisory board, including any person making any application mentioned in regulation 6(2).

(4)  An advisory board may receive any evidence that it considers relevant, whether or not the evidence would be admissible in a court.

(5)  An advisory board is not bound by the rules of evidence and may act in any manner that it considers most expedient.

(6)  In its deliberations on an application for postponement of or exemption from any liability under the Act, the advisory board must take into consideration regulation 23 of the Enlistment Regulations 1970.

Record

9.—(1)  At the end of the deliberations on any application or matter, the members of an advisory board must give their opinions or recommendations together with the reasons therefor, and these must be recorded by the chairperson or any person acting on the chairperson’s behalf.

(2)  The chairperson must forward the record through the secretary to the proper authority.

Deliberations in private

10.—(1)  The deliberations of an advisory board must be in private.

(2)  The following matters must not be disclosed to any person unless the proper authority directs otherwise:

(a) a decision whether or not to refer any application or matter to an advisory board;

(b) the opinions or recommendations of an advisory board.

Remuneration

11.  A member of an advisory board who is not a public officer or a member of the Singapore Armed Forces must be remunerated for each day on which the advisory board sits at such rate as the proper authority may determine.