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The
Constitution
lays down the fundamental principles and basic framework
of state organization and enshrines
the fundamental rights of the individual. Statutes
or legislation's are laws enacted by the Singapore Parliament
as well as predecessor institutions that had the power to legislate
for Singapore. Subsidiary legislation's are minor rules made under
the parent statute.
Special
features of Singapore law
What you can and cannot do
Littering
To maintain the clean and green city, there are strict laws against
littering of any kind. First-time offenders face a fine of up
to S$1,000. Repeat offenders are charged a For repeat offenders-it's
a fine of up to S$2,000 and a corrective work order. The corrective
work order requires litterbugs to spend a few hours cleaning a
public place, for example, picking up litter in a park. The litterbugs
are made to wear bright jackets, and sometimes, the local media
are invited to cover the public spectacle. Naturally, the authorities
hope that public shame will make diehard litterbugs think twice
about tossing their scrap paper or cigarette butt on the roadside.
Chewing
gum
As an extension of the "no littering" mantra, the import, sale
and possession of chewing gum is banned. You are also not allowed
to bring in chewing gum for your own consumption. In short, no
chewing gum whatsoever.
This rule
was introduced because of the high cost and difficulty in removing
stuck chewing gum from public premises. In particular, chewing
gum stuck on the Mass Rapid Transit train doors stopped the trains
from moving. It happened a few times and those were a few times
too many.
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed in public buses, taxis, lifts, theaters,
cinemas, government offices, and in air-conditioned restaurants
and shopping centers. First-time offenders face a maximum fine
of S$1,000. Smoking is allowed in air-conditioned pubs, discos,
karaoke bars and nightspots.
Drugs
The death penalty is mandatory for those convicted of trafficking,
manufacturing, importing or exporting drugs and possessing drugs
is deemed as prima facie evidence of trafficking.
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