Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation Funds (Appeals Panel) Regulations 2015

No. S 122

Pioneer Generation Fund Act 2014

(ACT 43 OF 2014)

Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation Funds (Appeals Panel) Regulations 2015

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 27 of the Pioneer Generation Fund Act 2014, the Minister for Finance hereby makes the following Regulations:

PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation Funds (Appeals Panel) Regulations 2015 and come into operation on 9 March 2015.

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

Definitions

2.  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“Appeals Secretariat” means the Appeals Secretariat comprising public officers appointed under regulation 6(1);

“applicant” means a person referred to in section 13(3) of the Act who makes a verification application or reconsideration application, as the case may be;

“application” means a verification application or a reconsideration application;

“chairperson” means the chairperson of the Panel appointed under section 15(1)(a) of the Act;

“deputy chairperson” means the deputy chairperson of the Panel appointed under section 15(1)(b) of the Act;

“identity card number”, for an individual, means the number of an identity card issued to the individual under the National Registration Act (Cap. 201);

“official website” means —

(a) for a verification application or reconsideration application relating to a Pioneer — the website at go.gov.sg/pgpackage; or

(b) for a verification application or reconsideration application relating to a Merdeka Generation Senior — the website at go.gov.sg/mgpackage;

[S 639/2022 wef 29/07/2022]

“Panel” means the Appeals Panel;

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

“presiding member” has the meaning given to it in regulation 7(4);

“reconsideration application” means an application under section 14(2) of the Act for a reconsideration of the Panel’s decision.

PART 2

DETERMINATION OF APPLICATIONS

Matters to be considered in determining a Pioneer or Merdeka Generation Senior

3.  For the purposes of section 13(1) of the Act, the Panel is to have regard to, and give such weight as the Panel considers appropriate to, all of the following matters:

(a) the circumstances under which the individual became a citizen of Singapore —

(i) after 31 December 1986, for the purposes of section 13(1)(a) of the Act; or

(ii) after 31 December 1996, for the purposes of section 13(1)(b) of the Act;

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

(b) the period the individual has been resident in Singapore;

(c) whether the individual has any ties with Singapore, when these ties started and whether these ties are stronger with Singapore than those with any other country or territory;

(d) the contributions the individual made to the development of Singapore, including (but not limited to) whether the individual made significant social, economic, defence, professional or cultural contribution to the development of Singapore as a nation.

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

Submission of verification application

4.—(1)  For the purposes of section 13(2) of the Act, a verification application for an individual seeking to be determined as a Pioneer or Merdeka Generation Senior must —

(a) state the individual’s full name, identity card number and contact details, and any other personal particulars that may be required by the Panel in any particular case including the individual’s date of birth and date of citizenship;

(b) be accompanied by any evidence relevant to the verification application; and

(c) be made to the Appeals Secretariat in the manner specified on the official website.

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

(2)  To determine a verification application, the Panel may —

(a) make such inquiries as the Panel considers necessary; and

(b) require the applicant to provide additional information within the time specified by the Panel.

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

(3)  The Panel may refuse a verification application —

(a) that is incomplete or not made in accordance with these Regulations; or

(b) if the applicant fails to comply with the Panel’s request for information under paragraph (2)(b).

Submission of reconsideration application

5.—(1)  For the purposes of section 14(2) of the Act, a reconsideration application in relation to an individual must —

(a) be in writing;

(b) specify the Panel’s determination that is the subject of the reconsideration application;

(c) [Deleted by S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

(d) be accompanied by any evidence relevant to the reconsideration application; and

(e) be delivered to the Appeals Secretariat, in such manner as may be specified on the official website.

(2)  To determine a reconsideration application, the Panel may —

(a) make such inquiries as the Panel considers necessary; and

(b) require the applicant to provide additional information within the time specified by the Panel.

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

(3)  The Panel may refuse a reconsideration application —

(a) that is incomplete or not made in accordance with these Regulations; or

(b) if the applicant fails to comply with the Panel’s request for information under paragraph (2)(b).

PART 3

APPEALS PANEL

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

Appeals Secretariat

6.—(1)  There is to be an Appeals Secretariat, comprising one or more public officers appointed by the Minister, whose function is to provide administrative and secretariat support, and assistance, to the Panel in the carrying out of the Panel’s functions.

(2)  Every meeting of the Panel must have in attendance at least one public officer appointed by the Minister under paragraph (1).

Proceedings of Panel

7.—(1)  The Panel —

(a) is not required to meet in person;

(b) is not required to interview any person who seeks the Panel’s determination, but may do so if the Panel considers necessary;

(c) may invite any person who, in the Panel’s opinion, can give information in respect of any particular matter which is likely to be of assistance to the Panel in the determination of any application; and

(d) may hold meetings, or allow its members to take part in meetings, by using the telephone, Internet or any other form of communication that allows reasonably contemporaneous and continuous communication amongst the members taking part in the meetings.

(2)  The proceedings of the Panel are private.

(3)  The quorum for a meeting of the Panel is 4 members, one of whom has to be the chairperson or deputy chairperson.

(4)  The chairperson or in the chairperson’s absence, the deputy chairperson, is to preside at any meeting of the Panel (called the presiding member).

(5)  Any matter for the Panel’s determination is to be decided by a majority of votes of members entitled to vote on the matter.

(6)  If there is an equality of votes, the presiding member has a casting vote.

(7)  If the Panel decides that it has to make a decision of a kind without a meeting, the Panel is taken to have made a decision of that kind at a meeting if —

(a) without a meeting, a majority of members entitled to vote on the proposed decision indicate agreement with the decision; and

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

(b) the members have indicated agreement with the decision in accordance with a method determined by the Panel.

[S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

(c) [Deleted by S 782/2019 wef 01/07/2019]

(8)  For the purposes of paragraph (7) —

(a) a member is not entitled to vote on a proposed decision if the member would not have been entitled to vote on that proposed decision if the matter had been considered at a meeting of the Panel; and

(b) the decision is taken to be made when the last member who casts the majority vote indicates agreement with the proposed decision.

(9)  The Appeals Secretariat must keep a record of all decisions made by the Panel under this regulation.

Disclosure of interest

8.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2), if a member of the Panel has any direct or indirect interest (whether pecuniary or otherwise) in any application that results in a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest, the member —

(a) must disclose the nature of the interest to the Panel after the relevant facts have come to the member’s knowledge;

(b) must abstain from participating in any consideration of, or voting on, the application; and

(c) if the presiding member so directs, must withdraw from a meeting being held to consider the application.

(2)  A disclosure under paragraph (1) is to be recorded by the Appeals Secretariat in the relevant records of any meeting or decision of the Panel.

(3)  For the purpose of this regulation, an interest of a member’s spouse, parent or step‑parent, sibling or stepsibling, or child, stepchild or adopted child, is to be regarded as an interest of the member.

(4)  For the purpose of determining whether there is a quorum, a member is to be treated as present at a meeting of the Panel or available to make a decision regarding an application, even if the member by reason of this regulation cannot participate in or vote on any matter concerning the application, or has withdrawn from the meeting.

Made on 6 March 2015.

LIM SOO HOON

Permanent Secretary
(Finance) (Performance),
Ministry of Finance,
Singapore.

[B061.090.2914.V1; AG/LLRD/SL/230A/2013/1 Vol. 1]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 27(4) of the Pioneer Generation Fund Act 2014).