The Public Order Act: Navigating Security, Stability, and Civil Liberties in Singapore

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In This Explainer, find out...

What is the Public Order Act?
Why has the Public Order Act been Implemented and Revised?
How has the Public Order Act Impacted Law Enforcement Practices?

Introduction

In 2008, 18 activists and members of the opposition from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) faced charges for holding unauthorised protest marches against the rising cost of living. The event highlighted concerns over the adequacy of existing laws to manage public assemblies.

In light of this, the Public Order Act (2009) (POA) was implemented alongside Singapore’s emphasis on maintaining public order and stability. The POA serves to regulate assemblies and processions in public places and to provide the powers necessary for its maintenance.

This Policy Explainer will explain what events resulted in the emergence of the POA, its implementation and subsequent revisions, and the impacts on law enforcement practices. It seeks to uncover how, over the years, such changes are a result of Singapore’s evolving geopolitical situation, and what impact this may have on Singapore moving forward.

Context Setting

Communal violence in the 1960s

Although Singapore now boasts a harmonious society built upon multi-religious and multi-cultural foundations, such peace did not come by easily.

On 21st July 1964, some 20,000 Malays gathered at the Padang to celebrate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, when a glass bottle was hurled into the crowd. Tensions soon escalated as angry bystanders – mainly Malay and Chinese – broke out into violent clashes. The tense situation persisted for 17 days; by then, 23 people lost their lives, and an additional 454 were injured. Racial tensions erupted once again in 1969 due to a spillover from Kuala Lumpur’s general election results.

With the memory of racial riots as a part of Singapore’s not-so-distant past, the government has been careful to ensure that ethnic and religious harmony is maintained – granted, it did not come by chance, nor is it guaranteed to always be sustained in the future.

Managing an increase in public demonstrations

Set up in Hong Lim Park on 1 September 2000, the Speakers’ Corner became Singapore’s first and only outdoor venue where individuals could gather to give public speeches.

In 2008, restrictions were further eased for Singaporeans to speak without a police permit. In that same year, Singapore saw its first legal public outdoor demonstration by a non-profit organisation, Hearers of Cries, to raise awareness for abused maids. Since then, there has been an increase in crowds to the park, even numbering the thousands.

In this view, the POA (2009) was proposed as a legal framework to regulate the “assembly” of people, be it for the purpose of supporting the opposition, publicising a cause or campaign, or marking and commemorating an event. . Later on, the POA (2017) also provided a structured system to manage private or public events, , including specifications for the maximum capacity. . The prescribed number of individuals for a private event was 5,000, and that of a public event was 5,000 individuals.

POLICY DESCRIPTION

Why has the Public Order Act been Implemented?

As explained by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Public Order Act (POA) was implemented to uphold public peace and social stability. Given Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious population, the POA aims to strike a balance between public order and stability, and the individual’s right to speech and public assembly. A public assembly refers to a congregation of individuals in spaces that are accessible by all. In this vein, MHA explains that the introduction of the POA was in response to “studying” terror attacks around the world and the growing need to ensure that appropriate mechanisms exist should such incidents take place in Singapore.

As such, the POA states that public gatherings like indoor public assembly, religious foot processions, assemblies and processions by non-Singaporeans, and the use of Speakers’ Corner, would require a Police permit before it can take place. Failure to obtain a Police permit can result in a fine of up to $5000 for the first offence, and subsequent offences would face tougher penalties like imprisonment.

Revisions to the POA in 2017 and 2018

In response to an increase in terror attacks around the world, the POA was revised in 2017 to respond to the changing global climate. Under the 2017 revision, a new “Special Events” category was added to address large crowds and crowds that are of higher risk, such as…. More specifically, a new Event Security Framework was created by the MHA to assess the level of risk of events. Factors like the likelihood for terror attacks or public unrest, the demographic of the attendees, event type, and current climate for threats, would be evaluated under the framework. In addition, clearer guidelines on the steps organisers should take for intended large crowd events have also been outlined.

In 2018, the POA was revised again in response to a rise in local radicalised individuals and incident reports of foreign terrorists who view Singapore as a target for attacks. As such, the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act (POSA) 2018 was passed by Parliament to give the Police the “powers necessary” to respond to these attacks. This way, it increases Police efficiency on the ground and also protects the secrecy of tactical operations.

Discussion

Stronger Legal Mandate for Intervention

The POA gives law enforcement clearer authority to act decisively when public safety is a concern. For instance, police are allowed to issue move-on orders to pre-emptively de-escalate potential public disorder and they can prosecute those who organise or take part in public assemblies without the required permit. This mandate was significantly strengthened through the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act (POSSPA), which included amendments to the POA. One of the most powerful amendments was the broad powers granted to the police during high-risk situations. For example, the POSSPA enables the Police to issue directives to building owners within the affected areas to close their premises and furnish detailed building information, such as floor plans. Such powers enable real-time responsiveness and facilitate more effective crisis containment, particularly during terror threats or large-scale social unrest.

Beyond managing physical spaces, the POA further empowers the police to control how information is shared during critical incidents. Once the MHA declares a serious incident – defined as one where public safety is threatened, or where there is serious violence affecting the public – under the POSSPA, special powers are activated. In such cases, the Commissioner of Police may issue a communications stop order. This requires all individuals within the incident area to stop filming, photographing or transmitting text, audio, or visual content related to the incident. This power is to be deployed only when necessary, such as when ongoing measures would compromise police operations and, in turn, public safety. This communication control then becomes a critical component of the POA’s broader efforts to provide law enforcement with a stronger mandate for intervention during high-risk situations.

Redefining the Boundaries of Civic Participation

While the POA is framed around ensuring safety and social stability, it has also become a powerful tool in defining what forms of public expression are legally acceptable in Singapore. This reflects the state’s broader stance that freedom of expression must be exercised within limits, especially in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society.

The POA has been justified as necessary for managing evolving public threats, but has also been noted to impact how public expression is practised in Singapore. International organisations such as the Human Rights Watch have expressed concerns that the scope of powers granted under the law could potentially be used in ways that discourage forms of public dissent that are otherwise accepted in other democratic societies. Additionally, the introduction of the communication stop order, which prohibits individuals from filming, photographing, or transmitting messages from within the affected area, has attracted commentary overseas. While intended to preserve the operational integrity of police responses, some critics may argue that such restrictions may also limit access to information and suppress public awareness.

It is important to note that while these powers may not have been exercised frequently, their existence may shape the boundaries of permissible civic behaviour. It may influence the way civil society actors engage with social and political issues. Rather than staging demonstrations, some may opt for alternative forms of advocacy such as closed-door dialogues or digital campaigns. These approaches may reflect a preference for a more cautious form of activism that is well within established legal parameters.

In this way, the POA not only informs law enforcement protocols but may also play a role in defining the broader contours of civic engagement in Singapore’s public sphere.

Conclusion

The POA plays a central role in guiding how public order is maintained and how civic activities are regulated in Singapore. As both security threats and public expectations evolve, the challenge will be to ensure that legal frameworks remain responsive without being overly restrictive. Moving forward, the state and civil society may engage in continued dialogue to help strike a balance between public safety and creating meaningful space for civic participation.

This Policy Explainer was written by members of MAJU. MAJU is a ground-up, fully youth-led organisation dedicated to empowering Singaporean youths in policy discourse and co-creation.

By promoting constructive dialogue and serving as a bridge between youths and the Government, we hope to drive the keMAJUan (progress!) of Singapore.

The citations to our Policy Explainers can be found in the PDF appended to this webpage.